Williams fined for ‘unsportsmanlike conduct’

Serena Williams has been handed the maximum possible fine by US Open officials following her verbal abuse of a line judge in her semi-final with Kim Clijsters.

The grand slam issued a statement from tournament referee Brian Earley having spent the day reviewing defending champion Williams' controversial exit from the tournament at Flushing Meadows.

It explained the American would be fined the maximum permissible on-site fine of $10,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Williams lost her semi-final with Clijsters on a point penalty having received her second code violation of the match on Saturday night for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The American second seed had picked up her first for racquet abuse after going one set down and with Clijsters a set and 6-5 up, her temper boiled over when she was foot-faulted at 15-30 on a second serve.

The first violation also earned Williams a $500 fine, the second seed having earned $350,000 as a losing semi-finalist.

The foot fault call had looked a questionable one with the aid of television replays and it handed the Belgian wild card and 2005 champion match point.

As Clijsters waited to play the next point, an angry Williams decided to vent her frustration with the line judge, striding along the baseline to the seated official and pointing, ball in hand, while unleashing a tirade that broadcasting microphones picked up as a profanity-filled threat to shove the ball down the woman's throat.

Williams briefly walked away before returning for another blast at the line judge.

Chair umpire Louise Engzell then intervened, asking the line judge what had been said, while tournament referee Brian Earley was also summoned and the officials ordered a point penalty, the next level of punishment after an initial code violation, against Williams and with it the match went to a confused Clijsters 6-4 7-5.

Williams could be in for further sanctions, possibly a suspension from future grand slams or the loss of her prize money from this year's US Open, as the matter has been passed on for further investigation.

‘The Grand Slam Rule Book also allows for an investigation to be conducted by the Grand Slam Committee Administrator to determine if the behaviour of Ms Williams warrants consideration as a major offence for which additional penalties can be imposed,’ the statement read.

‘This investigation has now begun.’

Williams had been unrepentant about the incident in her post-match press conference, claiming to not remember what she had said to the line judge and saying her actions were not unprecedented. She was later seen entering referee Earley's office before leaving the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre.

According the Grand Slam Rule Book cited in the statement, unsportsmanlike conduct when referred to the Grand Slam Committee can treated as ‘aggravated behaviour’, which ‘is flagrant and particularly injurious to the success of a Grand Slam, or is singularly egregious.’

The rule book states that such a violation if proven: ‘shall subject a player to a fine of up to $250,000 or the amount of prize money won at the tournament, whichever is greater, and a maximum penalty of permanent suspension from play in all Grand Slams and/or the Tennis Masters Cup."

Williams issued a statement of her own later.

Under the heading that the statement was ‘to fans following semi-final match’, the American made no mention of the fine or possible further punishments and pointedly did not offer an apology to the line judge, instead back-tracking on her post-match press conference opinion that she had just been ‘doing her job’.

‘Last night everyone could truly see the passion I have my job,’ the Williams statement read.

‘Now that I have had time to regain my composure, I can see that while I don't agree with the unfair line call, in the heat of battle I let my passion and emotion get the better of me and as a result handled the situation poorly.

‘I would like to thank my fans and supporters for understanding that I am human and I look forward to continuing the journey, both professionally and personally, with you all as I move forward and grow from this experience.’