Serena Gets Kid Gloves Treatment

About a month after Serena Williams’ massive implosion at the US Open, an official from one of the Grand Slam nations told me that there was no chance of the 11-time Grand Slam champion being suspended from one of the 2010 majors, because not one of the events wanted to lose the ticket revenue or high TV ratings that usually come from her appearances. So on November 30, when it was announced that Williams would only be fined $82,500 for her incredible digression in the US Open semifinals against Kim Clijsters, few within the tennis world were surprised. A number of opinion makers, including Mary Carillo, had remarked that a suspension was warranted, but because money talks in such a big way in tennis, Serena was only tagged for 1.4 percent of her record $6,545,586 prize money in 2009.

Click here to watch the foot fault and the melt down through the eyes of Australian TV.

Williams – who earns about another $8 million per year off court — was also informed that she’s on a two-year probation at the majors, where another so-called major offense could lead to a suspension and an increased fine.

But given the lateness (almost…