Down a set and a break in the second set of her third-round match against former No.1 Victoria Azarenka, current No.1 Serena Williams managed to break back, consolidated that break and had three set points on Azarenka’s serve at 5-4, 40-0. But Azarenka saved them all, setting up a deuce point won by Williams. Then the controversy came.

Azarenka’s second shot on the ad point bounced on the baseline and was netted by Serena in return. Just after Serena had hit the ball, a call of “out” rang out from one of the linesmen. Chair umpire Kader Nouni came down from his perch and confirmed the ball was good. Because Serena had hit the ball before the call, it should have been Azarenka’s point and another deuce. But Nouni called it differently, believing Serena’s shot was hindered by the call (replay proved otherwise) and calling for a replay of the point. That led to a testy encounter at net between Azarenka and Nouni. Serena then got in on the action, which led to Azarenka waving at her rival in the universal “get outta here” gesture, except with a little more heat on it than usual.

Serena responded by yelling something at Azarenka, which our admittedly pedestrian lip reading has as “don’t give me that hand girl.”

Serena won the next point (her fourth set point) to even the match and a furious Azarenka came to the sideline, where she apparently cursed out loud at Nouni and earned a code violation.

Just another routine weekend for two of the most fierce competitors on the WTA.