Tennis Queen Serena Williams Gives Sexist Tournament Boss A Serve

Despite being the longtime undisputed champion of Tennis – and perhaps one of the greatest sportspeople to have ever lived – it seems Serena Williams is still subjected to institutional sexism on a daily basis.

Same goes for her female colleagues, at every level.

Which is likely why she stood up to Raymond Moore, boss and tournament co-founder of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden (home of the BNP Paribas Open), who over the weekend suggested women’s tennis was “riding on the coattails” of the men’s success, The Guardian reports.

"[Women players] don't make any decisions and they are lucky,” he claimed, adding, “they are very, very lucky.”

"If I was a lady player, I'd go down every night on my knees and thank God that Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal were born, because they have carried this sport. They really have."

Understandably, this set Serena right off.

Speaking to media shortly after a surprise loss during the BNP Paribas Open, she pulled up Moore for his ghastly coded language and wrong-headed opinion.

“Obviously I don’t think any woman should be down on their knees thanking anybody like that,” she said.

She was not finished.

“Last year the women’s final at the US Open sold out well before the men,” Serena continued.

“I’m sorry, did Roger play in that final or Rafa or any man play in that final that was sold out before the men’s final? I think not. So I just feel like in order to make a comment you have to have history and you have to have facts and you have to know things. You have to know of everything.

“I mean, you look at someone like Billie Jean King who opened so many doors for not only women players but women athletes in general. So I feel like, you know, that is such a disservice to her and every female, not only a female athlete but every woman on this planet, that has ever tried to stand up for what they believed in and being proud to be a woman.”

Having been properly demolished, Moore apologised for his comments, saying they were “in extremely poor taste”.

The aforementioned Billie Jean King was just one player who took to Twitter to express her disappointment with Moore.

Game. Set. Match.

Photo: BNP Paribas Open / YouTube.