Sep 14 2009
Serena Williams Fined After On Court Tirade
Serena Williams was fined $10,000 Sunday for a profanity-laced tirade directed at a U.S. Open line judge, and an investigation is under way to determine whether there should be additional punishment.
The $10,000 penalty — not quite 3 percent of the $350,000 in prize money Williams earned by reaching the semifinals at Flushing Meadows — is the maximum on-site fine that can be issued for unsportsmanlike conduct at a Grand Slam tournament.
The U.S. Open said in a statement that the Grand Slam Committee Administrator will “determine if the behavior of Ms. Williams warrants consideration as a major offense for which additional penalties can be imposed.”
Williams, who was the defending champion, also was docked $500 for smashing her racket after the first set of what became a 6-4, 7-5 loss to Kim Clijsters on Saturday night.
