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Line judge hits out at 'difficult' Serena

Cape Town - An Australian Open line judge has hit out at former world No 1 Serena Williams following her US Open outburst.

In a much-publicised meltdown in this year's US Open final, Williams called chair umpire Carlos Ramos and 'liar' and 'thief' which eventually led to her third violation and being penalised a game.

However, Ramos is not the only official to feel the wrath of a losing Williams, just ask Shino Tsurubuchi.

At the 2009 US Open, the Japanese line judge was on the receiving end in Williams' famous "I swear to God I'll f****** take the ball and shove it down your f****** throat," attack after making a call.

As such, an anonymous Australian line judge wrote to Stuff.co.nz revealing that there may be officials who boycott Williams' matches in the future.

"I can't speak for other umpires (around 400 of them at the Australian Open) but I do feel there was a genuine feeling at that time that Serena is a bit more difficult," she wrote.

"Someone pointed out the line umpire harassed by Serena at the US Open, everyone was talking about it. Does that umpire have the right to call Serena sexist or racist for harassing her?

"Umpires are always in a difficult situation because they aren't meant to talk or show any bias so there's an issue if they go on strike against Serena, as is being raised now.

"That would be an extraordinary event, but who would seriously want to umpire her? She won't shake your hand if she doesn't like the call, she keeps on blaming the umpire instead of her reaction and she doesn't apologise for it.

"The fact that this strike is even being discussed is evidence of a feeling.

"So what's her point really? It seems like a diversion because at the end of the day, she was feeling a lot of emotion, was desperate to win, and was losing against an unknown."

Williams continued her argument after the loss, labelling Ramos sexist.

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