Serena Williams Manages Sexist Reporter with Grace

There are dumb questions, apparently. Serena Williams’ press conference on Saturday proved as much.

She engaged in a back-and-forth with a reporter ahead of her match against Maria Sharapova at The French Open. The reporter’s comments and question devolved into a repulsive place, with the reporter referring to Serena as “baby” before talking about Donald Trump’s assessment in 2004 that Sharapova had “incredibly alluring” shoulders.

That led to the question, a bizarre mix of objectification and sexism.

This reporter has been waiting 14 years to ask Williams that?

The insinuation that Williams might be intimidated by Sharapova is a silly one. Williams is 19-2 against Sharapova with 18 straight victories. So President Donald Trump’s analysis from 2004 is not “incredible” — it’s baseless with zero substance and charged with misogyny and idiocy.

Williams handled the question with grace.

“I can’t say I have been intimidated by anyone,” Williams said.

Nor should she be.