You don’t mess with Serena Williams.
Doesn’t everyone know that by now?
A now infamous lineswoman once had to learn that lesson the hard way.
At an exhibition in Brazil this past weekend, world No. 10 Caroline Wozniacki stuffed her shirt and skirt with some towels and attempted to be funny by impersonating Williams.
To be fair, Wozniacki isn’t the first player to try and get a laugh at one of their competitors’ expense. Novak Djokovic’s impressions of Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova and Andy Roddick are well known and Roddick himself recently joined in on the impersonation bandwagon.
Last month in Toronto during an exhibition match against Milos Raonic, Roddick impersonated Raonic, Nadal, and even his BFF Williams.
Excited to be in Canada with my bestest @andyroddick @milosraonic and Aga Radwanska for our tennis Toronto!! We play tomorrow check us out!!
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) November 16, 2012
In his Williams impression, Roddick did the exact same thing Wozniacki did – poking fun at her figure by stuffing his shorts and shirt with towels.
So why didn’t Roddick get any flack?
When he did it, the Air Canada Centre crowd erupted in laughter. In the media the following day, the impersonation was seen as funny, whereas some have gone as far as to criticize Wozniacki’s as having been racist.
caroline wozniacki imitates Serena Williams in a #racist way. I guess imitating her by being overwhelmingly successful was too hard.
— lila probably (@probably_lila) December 10, 2012
Big businesses should drop Caroline Wozniacki..for being a racist..
— taima (@juniortaima) December 12, 2012
@carowozniacki : making fun of black women and Serena’s body typeshows that you are either a racist or plain stupid.
— Patrick Rech (@patrickrech) December 10, 2012
For what it’s worth, both Wozniacki and Roddick are friends of Williams’, if that makes the situation any better.
I’d love to know what Serena thinks of it all.
But if you’re Wozniacki, and you can’t beat someone on the court, you probably shouldn’t be making fun of them on it either.