She deserves all the flowers, but we need to do more to protect Black athletes from the racist double standards ingrained in tennis - Activist Rashad Robinson on Serena Williams' retirement
American Civil Rights leader Rashad Robinson took to social media to applaud Serena Williams for her achievements as a black athlete from the US.
Serena Williams has won the most number of Grand Slams in the Open Era of tennis. Through an article published by Vogue, Williams announced her plans to retire from the sport, presumably after this year's US Open.
Robinson, who is an activist, is also the president of the 'Color of Change' organization that works to uplift black communities in America.
#SerenaWilliams deserves all the flowers.
But we need to do more to protect Black athletes from the racist double standards ingrained on the court and in the governing bodies of tennis. insider.com/serena-william…
Robinson applauded Williams for all of her accolades that she won in a sport with a white-dominated field. He also spoke highly of the tennis star's farewell, saying she deserved all the flowers she has been receiving.
"#SerenaWilliams deserves all the flowers."
Robinson continued his statement by pointing out the struggles faced by black athletes in the sport. He also criticized the governing body of tennis for their past racist remarks and judgements on players of color.
"But we need to do more to protect Black athletes from the racist double standards ingrained on the court and in the governing bodies of tennis."
Spurt in US Open ticket prices in the light of Serena Williams' retirement
Serena Williams announced her plans to hang up her tennis boots post her US Open campaign scheduler later this month.
As per the USTA, the organization sold more than 16,500 tickets alone on the day Williams announced her retirement. Shedding light on the demand for tickets for Williams' last tournament in her illustrious career, a USTA spokesperson told CNBC that tickets for the first three days of the event were sold out.
“We are now basically sold out for Monday (Opening night), Tuesday and Wednesday nights," the spokesperson said.
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Stubhub, a popular American ticket exchange retailer, has also witnessed the growing demand for tickets. The number of tickets sold each day has more than tripled, and the daily average revenue has more than doubled.
Adam Budelli, a spokesperson for StubHub, said how the big games are more in demand and their sales start even before the first round gets underway.
“U.S. Open demand continues to pick up as we approach one week out from the start of first-round action. We encourage fans to get tickets now if they want to go, since legends like Rafael Nadal or Serena Williams advancing in play can have a big effect on demand,” Budelli said.
Williams has won the US Open six times before in her career, with her last title coming in 2014. In her previous tournament, Williams was knocked out by Emma Raducanu in the first round of the Cincinnati Open.