Where are umpires Lahyani, Molina, Mourier etc? M.I.A, benched or sacked ???

[peRFection]

Originally Posted by The Meat

Lahyani is serving a silent ban, will return in the clay season.

you made my day

[MAXXply]

Originally Posted by woodrow1029

Yes. Line umpires make about $135-200 per day, plus housing is provided, and meals on site. They get some travel allowance (not much), and meals off site are their own responsibility. Btw, she is one of the top line umpires in the world.

I've just returned from a weekend at the AO. Funny thing, on Saturday night I took the tram ride from RLA back into town. As I took my seat waiting for the tram to depart, I immediately noticed "The Famous Serena Lineswoman" was sitting opposite me! I was so thrilled that something so random could happen.

I immediately engaged her in conversation and she was politely obliging. Admittedly, it was a full tram and she had no other tram seat to move to. A deer stuck in the headlights may be an apt description. The people sitting next to us had no clue who she was.

Woodrow, I asked her the same questions I asked you and she confirmed the financial difficulties of being a travelling linesperson. She would love to work the circuit more but travelling expenses are prohibitive for her. She said her next tourney after AO was gonna be Memphis. She complimented me on my knowledge of umpires and I said I was just a longtime tennis fan and follower of the Tour.

As the tram arrived at our stop she politely refused my request for a pic. I was gonna offer her dinner in nearby Chinatown but I figured she'd be tired after a long day and in no mood to indulge an inquisitive tennis fan who may or may not be a knife-wielding homicidal maniac. I said she should try and work Sydney next year. I thanked her for the brief chat and we wished each other well before heading off into the Melbourne sunset...