Carlos Ramos, the umpire at the center of the storm surrounding Serena Williams at the US Open, was "thrown under a bus" by tennis' governing bodies, says a former top-level umpire.
Speaking to CNN World Sport's Don Riddell, Richard Ings said the treatment of Ramos after a final which sparked debate about sexism in tennis would have left "umpires everywhere seething."
Saturday's final descended into controversy in the second set when Williams was given a code violation for getting signals from her coach, handed a point penalty for smashing her racket and then docked a game for an outburst in which she called Ramos a "liar" and a "thief." She was later fined $17,000 for the three code violations.
Saturday's final descended into controversy in the second set when Williams was given a code violation for getting signals from her coach, handed a point penalty for smashing her racket and then docked a game for an outburst in which she called Ramos a "liar" and a "thief." She was later fined $17,000 for the three code violations.
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| US Open Umpire Carlos Ramos 'Thrown Under Bus' In Serena Row -- Ex Empire |
The 23-time grand slam champion, who went on to lose in straight sets to Japan's Naomi Osaka, told reporters that being penalized a game was "sexist."
"Carlos Ramos has been a professional umpire for four decades," said Ings. "There's no one more experienced, no one more knowledgeable, no one more capable as an umpire than Carlos Ramos.
"If governing bodies can throw him under a bus then umpires everywhere are seething ... They've lost their safety factor of knowing that these governing bodies will support them." US Open umpire Carlos Ramos 'Thrown Under Bus' In Serena Row -- Ex Empire
