I never really liked Serena Williams.

Without a doubt, she was amazing tennis player — one of the best ever.  And I admire how hard she and her sister worked to get from Compton, Calif., to the world’s tennis stage.

But I never liked her attitude.

Her tirade at the 2018 U.S. Open women’s championship was unfortunate — for both her and her worthy opponent, 20-year old Naomi Osaka.

Osaka was beating Serena when the umpire noticed Serena’s coach giving her a hand signal and gave her a penalty.

I think the no coaching rule at majors back then was dumb, but that’s beside the point.  Serena immediately took offense assuming that the umpire was calling her a cheater.

He wasn’t calling her a cheater.  He was calling her on a rule her coach was breaking.

Announcers Chris Evert and Mary Jo Fernandez (both former pros) said the hand signal was telling Serena to get to the net.  Which she did and won several points.

I’m not sure Serena even saw the signal.

But in-between points she continued to rant at the umpire claiming she was no cheater and demanding he apologize to her.  She even pulled the mom card and said she would never cheat because it wouldn’t set a good example for her daughter.

Yelling at an umpire sets a good example? Smashing your racquet sets a good example?

This was not the first time Serena blew up at an umpire or line judge at a major.  But she claimed there was a double standard. That men get away with abusive language all the time.

The difference is, they don’t do it after two penalties.

I’m all for women’s rights and support the Me Too movement, but this was not about that.

I also got tired of everyone gushing over how incredible it was that Serena came back to compete like this after giving birth. I mean seriously.  The woman was a professional athlete who had like a bazillion dollars.

She had a coach, trainer, and probably even a nutritionist. And a nanny to watch her daughter while she got back into fighting shape.

You have to admire Serena’s toughness and determination.  But at the 2018 U.S. Open, I think she picked the wrong fight.

The only one who deserved an apology was Naomi Osaka.