Serena Williams' SI Sportsperson Of The Year Recognition Marks A Boon For Tennis

Serena Williams' recognition by Sports Illustrated as the Sportsperson of the Year is "for so much more than tennis," as her life is "what makes the person behind the name," according to Ed McGrogan of TENNIS.com. Her on-court and off-court successes are "equally compelling, and they make the magazine’s decision to give Williams the nod over fellow tennis titan Novak Djokovic seem like a no-brainer." But Williams’ win is "also a win for tennis." She is "a worthy ambassador, as many of her colleagues have attested" (TENNIS.com, 12/14). In DC, Kelyn Soong wrote the award "puts Williams in rare company," as she is just the "third solo female athlete" to win the award. This year "marked a significant period for Williams, who returned to Indian Wells for the first time since being victim of a hostile crowd" in '01. She also "started giving her voice to social causes, notably supporting the Black Lives Matter movement that gained momentum after the shooting deaths of several unarmed black men" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 12/14).

WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS: In Chicago, Rick Morrissey writes Williams' photo on the SI cover commemorating the recognition shows her "looking like she wants one thing, and it’s not a chat with the line judge." The portrayal "in no way helps the cause of women looking to be recognized for their athletic abilities." Morrissey: "A prudish outlook in 2015? Maybe, but it’s hard to shake the idea that women, sadly, are still doing what men want them to do, whether they mean to or not." Women "don’t need to cover themselves up to be taken seriously as athletes," but athletic success for women "shouldn’t automatically translate into a revealing photo shoot either" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 12/15). The NATIONAL POST's Cam Cole writes it is a "photo-finish to see who was more offended" by Williams' selection: the horseracing community, which supported American Pharoah for the award, or those who think the cover photo of Williams "is exploitative" (NATIONAL POST, 12/15). But ESPN's Mike Wilbon said SI was "honoring a person, so I don't want to hear about the horse" ("PTI," ESPN, 12/14).