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US Open fines Serena Williams $10,000 for tirade
NEW YORK (AP) - September 13, 2009 The fine - not quite 3 percent of the $350,000 in prize money
Williams earned by reaching the semifinals - is the maximum on-site
penalty that can be issued for unsportsmanlike conduct at a Grand
Slam tournament.
"The average individual would look at that and say, 'A $10,000
fine for what she did? What are you guys, crazy?' The answer is:
the process isn't over," tournament director Jim Curley said in an
interview with The Associated Press.
Bill Babcock, the top administrator for Grand Slam tournaments,
will review what happened Saturday night, when Williams yelled at a
linesperson who called a foot fault with the defending champion two
points away from losing to Kim Clijsters in the semifinals.
If Babcock determines Williams committed a "major offense,"
she could be fined all of her prize money from the tournament.
Williams also was docked $500 for smashing her racket after the
first set of the match. Because she was issued a warning then, her
later actions resulted in the loss of a point.
The foot fault resulted in a double-fault, which moved Clijsters
one point from victory. Williams then was penalized a point for her
outburst; because it happened to come on match point, it ended the
semifinal with Clijsters ahead 6-4, 7-5.
Babcock did not immediately respond to requests for comment. But
Curley said the inquiry probably would include reviewing TV
footage, checking additional audio feeds from courtside microphones
and interviewing Williams, the linesperson, the chair umpire and
possibly spectators.
"What she did was unacceptable. It's unacceptable behavior
under any circumstances. When you're on the court, and you are
waving your racket toward a linesperson and using profanity, it's
just simply unacceptable," Curley told the AP. "When you look at
the tape, it's pretty clear that the way she approached the
linesperson, with her racket and in that manner, it was a
threatening manner. It certainly was."
The names of linespersons are not disclosed as a matter of
practice at the tournament.
He also said the tournament considered - and decided against -
preventing Williams and her older sister Venus from participating
in the women's doubles final Monday. Venus put in some work on a
U.S. Open practice court Sunday; Serena wasn't with her.
Serena Williams released a statement through a public relations
firm, acknowledging that "in the heat of battle I let my passion
and emotion get the better of me and as a result handled the
situation poorly."
She did not apologize for the outburst, which made the "most
viewed" page of YouTube with four different versions that totaled
more than half a million clicks as of Sunday night.
After what may be recalled as the most significant foot fault in
tennis history, Williams paused, retrieved a ball to serve again
and then stopped. She stepped toward the official, screaming,
cursing and shaking the ball at her.
"If I could, I would take this ... ball and shove it down your
... throat," Williams said, according to a tennis official who
watched a replay Saturday night.
The official also said Williams used the word "kill." The
official declined to be identified because the tape was still being
reviewed.
Fans began booing and whistling, making it difficult to hear the
entirety of what Williams said - and she refused to discuss
specifics afterward at a news conference. An AP reporter - provided
access to replays - could not verify Williams used the word
"kill."
When Williams turned her back, the line judge went over to the
chair umpire to report what was going on. The line judge then
returned to her seat, and Williams pointed and began walking toward
her. The line judge then headed back to the chair umpire's stand.
By now, tournament referee Brian Earley was on the court, too.
Earley could be heard asking the linesperson what Williams said.
That's when Williams walked over and said to the line judge:
"Are you scared? Because I said I would hit you? I'm sorry, but
there's a lot of people who've said way worse."
Earley again asked the linesperson what Williams said. Whatever
the linesperson said, her reply seemed to startle Williams, who
said: "I didn't say I would kill you. Are you serious? Are you
serious? I didn't say that." The line judge then said, "Yes."
The episode dominated conversation at the U.S. Open on Sunday,
including whether the line judge should have made the call in the
first place. Foot faults are rarely called at this level,
particularly in possibly the final moments of such a significant
match.
"In my opinion, you can't call a foot fault there. Just out of
question. Can't do it. It was so close. Not as if it was an obvious
foot fault - it was minuscule," TV commentator John McEnroe said.
"I've seen Serena come back from that position a dozen times
against top-flight opponents. The match was not over."
The chairman and CEO of the women's tennis tour, Stacey
Allaster, issued a statement calling Williams' conduct
"inappropriate and unprofessional."
"No matter what the circumstances, no player should be allowed
to engage in such behavior without suffering consequences,"
Allaster said. "I have spoken with the USTA about this matter and
I agree with the action they have taken."
