For her public and profanity-laced outburst directed at a lineswoman at this summer’s U.S. Open -- “I swear to God, I’ll f---ing take this ball and shove it down your f---ing throat!” -- Serena Williams has been fined a record $82,500 and faces a possible suspension if there’s a similar act at a Grand Slam in the future.
Serena Williams Fined Record $82,500 For U.S. Open Outburst
Grand Slam administrator Bill Babcock’s ruling was released Monday, and he said Williams faces a “probationary period” at tennis’ four major championships in 2010 and 2011. If she has another “major offense” at a Grand Slam tournament in that time, the fine would increase to $175,000 and she would be barred from the following U.S. Open.
“But if she does not have another offense in the next two years, the suspension is lifted,” Babcock said in a telephone interview from London.
The fine is almost double the previous high of $48,000 assessed to Jeff Tarango in the 1990s.
Babcock said that “Williams violated the ‘major offense’ rule for ‘aggravated behavior.’”
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