While Venus Williams joyously spoke about being back at the U.S. Open and being healthy again, sister Serena Williams was back at Flushing Meadows being Serena.
Serena testily took on a reporter Saturday who repeatedly asked about her controversial Olympic celebratory dance earlier this month in London.
After winning the Olympic gold medal on the Wimbledon lawn, Serena did a funky dance that appeared to be the one popularized by gang members, called “The Crip Walk.’’ The Crips are a gang that originally formed in the Compton, Calif., the area where the Williams sisters were raised.
It was the first question asked of Williams at yesterday’s Media Day. After first avoiding a query on whether she’d trot it out in Flushing, Serena snapped.
“First of all, it was just a dance,” she said. “ I didn’t know that’s what it was called. Second, why are you asking me that? Like that’s so ‑‑… I mean, if anything, you should be trying to ask me questions to lift me up, not bring [up] such things.’’
When the reporter persisted, Serena said, “I’m done with that question,’’ before the moderator stepped in to change the topic.
Serena, who won Wimbledon and Olympic gold this summer, is a big favorite to capture her first Open title since 2008 if she can keep her temper in check, which hasn’t been easy here.
Last year’s Open Finals were marred when Williams blew her cool during a straight-set loss to Aussie Samantha Stosur. On the 10th anniversary of 9/11, Serena went on a tirade against an umpire, saying she was “unattractive inside’’ and warned, “Really, don’t even look at me.’’ Serena fumed about being penalized for shouting “C’mon’’ during a rally. She was fined $2,000 for the outburst.
In the 2009 semifinals against Kim Clijsters, Serena’s profanity-laced, finger-pointing rant against a female line judge got her fined a record $82,500 and threatened with suspension from the Open if she had another “major offense.’’ Last September’s outburst drew a code violation for verbal abuse, but USTA officials deemed it short of “a major offense.’’
Serena’s tennis has been overpowering as she has battled back to the top after a series of health issues.
Asked if she feels extra pressure to win the Open, she said, “My dad said the only pressure you have is the pressure you put on yourself, so I don’t really feel any pressure. I don’t put any pressure on myself. If I win, that would be great. If I lose, I realize I’m going to go home and be devastated. But there’s always tomorrow.’’
Venus didn’t know there would be a tomorrow for her tennis after last year’s Open, when she withdrew midstream after a diagnosis of Sjogren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disease. In her most recent event, she advanced to the semifinals in Cincinnati.
“This is what it’s all about, is beating this,’’ Venus said. “And not just for me, but for everyone who has felt ill or sick and wants to return back to what they were. For me, I have a lot to prove to myself.’’
marc.berman@nypost.com