To A Tennis Player Love Means Nothing

September 4, 1957: Elizabeth Eckford, "The Little Rock Nine"

As someone who may have smashed a tennis racquet or two, I have an insight into the demons that have tormented the likes of Serena Williams and Andre Agassi. It has zero to do with social injustice, but it sure makes for a convenient distraction from accountability. 

I believe some people are turning Serena Williams into a martyr for vicarious reasons: blaming their own demons on some distant social injustice. There have been clear cases throughout history of toxic sexism, plenty to choose from. There are blatant examples of misogyny, racism, and xenophobia in our lifetime. Knee-jerking any and every dispute into a sexist, racist or xenophobic cause is emotionally unintelligent. 

Defending the angst of an ego-bruised, multi-millionaire athlete as if we were reliving the suffering endured by Elizabeth Eckford in Little Rock or Rosa Parks in Montgomery is in itself toxic. Serena Williams’ could not hold a candle to a brave black girl one September morning back in 1957, as she carried her schoolbooks through an angry white mob. A mob that needed an entire national guard to stop a girl armed with only a notebook. An amazing grace of courage so that Serena Williams could one day make millions of dollars and hobnob with the top 1% of the world.