Serena’s Outburst: A Few Questions

[Correction appended]

I’m off to a U.S. Open costume party (I’m going as Elton John complete with stacked silver heels, rhinestone studded glasses and my Mo Connelly wooden racket, image to follow later), but first I have a few questions for you about Serena’s outburst at the U.S. Open (see above):

  1. Will foot faults be reviewable before there’s a roof on Arthur Ashe stadium?
  2. While a foot fault is not as important as a line call, is there any reason a foot fault should not be called on an important point?
  3. Should foot faults be eliminated?
  4. Has there been an increase in foot fault calls in the past year or so or is it just me?
  5. Have you ever seen a line judge approach the chair umpire and complain about a player’s behavior before?
  6. Do you think a line judge at one of the other three (non U.S.) slams would have approached the chair umpire?
  7. Would the chair umpire have given Serena the point penalty that ended the match if the line judge had not approached the chair?
  8. Should Serena have lost the match for her outburst?

Let’s hear it.

[Correction: One should never put up a post in the middle of dressing up like Elton John, it’s too distracting. Apparently the line judge was called by the chair umpire so questions 5-7 are are irrelevant. As for the other questions, please weight in.]

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