Tennis
1News

'Welcome to PC World' - Aussie newspaper defends cartoonist after controversial Serena Williams depiction

September 12, 2018

An Australian newspaper has defended their own cartoonist who has been caught up in controversy, after he was slammed for his depiction of Serena Williams yesterday, following her outburst during the US Open final.

The Herald Sun defended the drawing of their artist Mark Knight, which had Williams leaping over her broken racket with a baby's dummy next to it.

The image outraged many members of the public, with people taking to social media criticising the animation - saying it was racist and had sexist stereotypes.

But the Australian paper leapt to the defence of their cartoonist, publishing images of past illustrations by Knight with the headline "Welcome to PC World."

The Herald Sun wrote, "If the self-appointed censors of Mark Knight get their way on his Serena Williams cartoon, our new politically correct life will be very dull indeed".

Mr Knight's drawing which was published on Monday, was in response to her outburst in the US Open final on Sunday, which had the umpire asking Naomi Osaka of Japan, "Can you just let her win?"

British author J.K. Rowling was among those critical of the piece, saying Mr Knight had reduced Ms Williams to a "racist and sexist trope".

Mr Knight yesterday responded to the widespread criticism, saying he had simply drawn Ms Williams as he saw her.

"I drew her as an African-American woman ... She's powerfully built, she wears these outrageous costumes when she plays tennis - she's interesting to draw," Mr Knight said.

"I drew her as she is, as an African-American woman.

"I saw the world number one tennis player have a huge hissy fit and spit the dummy.

ONN 1 News at 6 promo image

"That's what the cartoon was about, her poor behaviour on the court."

The Herald Sun's editor Damon Johnston backed the illustration of Mr Knight and said in a Tweet: "@knightcartoons cartoon is not racist or sexist .... it rightly mocks poor behaviour by a tennis legend ... Mark has the full support of everyone @theheraldsun."

SHARE ME

More Stories