Serena Williams cartoon: Mark Knight defends Herald Sun drawing of US Open tantrum after ‘racism’ accusations
Melbourne newspaper cartoonist says exaggerated drawing of Serena Williams throwing US Open final tantrum is ‘about poor behaviour, not race’
Australian cartoonist Mark Knight is under fire for a drawing in the Herald Sun newspaper depicting Serena Williams’ US Open final outburst, with many decrying the image as racist.
Angry netizens have taken to social media to condemn the cartoonist, who drew Williams with an exaggerated face and body spitting out a dummy and stamping her feet, while chair umpire Carlos Ramos asks the American’s opponent, Naomi Osaka, “Can you just let her win?”
“A champion tennis player had a mega tantrum on the world stage, and Mark’s cartoon depicted that,” Herald Sun editor Damon Johnston said. “It had nothing to do with gender or race.’
Williams, 36, was docked a point and then a full game after picking up three code violations for receiving coaching, smashing her racquet and then verbally abusing Ramos in her defeat by 20-year-old Osaka on Saturday.
The 23-time grand slam winner accused the umpire of sexism in his punishment of her, and called him a “liar” and a “thief” on court.