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USTA Won’t Fine Serena and Venus Williams for Press Skip

9/7/2026

24 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

USTA announced it will not fine Venus and Serena Williams for skipping post-match press after their US Open loss.
The sisters lost 3-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(7) to No. 14 seeds Maya Joint and Chan Hao-ching on September 4.
Grand Slam rules permit fines up to $50,000 per player, or $100,000 total for the pair.
Fans on X and Reddit condemned the decision as preferential treatment and called for fines.

History

Historical Context

The 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” at the Houston Astrodome, where 29-year-old Billie Jean King defeated 55-year-old Bobby Riggs before 30,472 spectators and a $100,000 TV contract, proved women could compete on equal footing. That milestone fuels today’s USTA choice to waive fines for Venus and Serena Williams after their US Open loss, echoing the long-standing gender-media debate.

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Story summary

USTA announced it will not fine Venus and Serena Williams for skipping post-match press after their US Open loss.
The sisters lost 3-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(7) to No. 14 seeds Maya Joint and Chan Hao-ching on September 4.
Grand Slam rules permit fines up to $50,000 per player, or $100,000 total for the pair.
Fans on X and Reddit condemned the decision as preferential treatment and called for fines.

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