Home > Sports S. Williams receives record fine for Open outburst
Tirade directed at lineswoman costs her $82,500, two years of 'probationary period'



9:01 a.m. EST, November 30, 2009
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Serena Williams was fined at least a record $82,500 for her U.S. Open tirade and could be suspended from that tournament if she has another "major offense" at any Grand Slam in the next two years, Grand Slam administrator Bill Babcock told The Associated Press on Monday.

Babcock's decision was to be formally released later Monday.

He said Williams faces a "probationary period" at Grand Slam tournaments in 2010 and 2011.

If she has another "major offense" at a major championship in that time, the fine would increase to $175,000 and she would be barred from the following U.S. Open.

Babcock said the previous highest fine for a Grand Slam offense was about $48,000 to Jeff Tarango in the 1990s.

Williams lashed out at a lineswoman after a foot-fault call at the end of her U.S. Open semifinal loss to eventual champion Kim Clijsters.

Williams earned $350,000 by reaching the semifinals, part of her more than $6.5 million in prize money in 2009, a single-season record for women's tennis. Her career prize money tops $28 million.

The American is an 11-time Grand Slam singles champion and ended the 2009 season at No. 1 in the WTA rankings.

Williams' profanity-laced, finger-pointing outburst drew a $10,000 fine from the U.S. Tennis Association in September -- the maximum onsite penalty a tennis player can face. But because it happened at a Grand Slam tournament, Babcock was charged with investigating whether further punishment was merited.

He concluded that Williams violated the "major offense" rule for "aggravated behavior." The Grand Slam committee -- with one representative from each of the sport's four major championships -- approved his decision Saturday.

Babcock said Williams has been informed of the ruling. She has been in Barbados for an exhibition tournament, and her agent did not immediately reply to a request for comment Monday.

she's devastated...as seen in this pic here with common

damn that's a lot of green just for cussin' on the court. she must have used a couple colorful metaphors never before heard.

Fury said:

serena and common look great. Is that Newt Ginrich with a woman close to his own age? unbelievable.

Good, actions have consaquences. She got what she deserved.

like she can pay this, and then go buy Tiger a hydrant, a tree, a new Escalade, and some golf clubs

Common probably like "just throw it in the bag baby"

that's like 8 pairs of designer shoes and a 3 night stay at some fancy resort.
[Edited 11/30/09 8:19am]

I wish I had $100,000 to cuss someone the hell out. It could probably be so worth it!

some mofo's need a good cussing out...

banks said:

yep! But when you are at work and do so it is a risk you take.

I always find it amusing when a woman has more muscular, thicker legs than her male partner. don't know why.

Dang thats a lot of dough for a curse out. Wonder if Macenroe was ever fined this much? Guess she would have come out better if she would have crashed her car and then refused to speak to the State Trooper's for 3 days about it.

missfee said:

It's really because of the threat

That amount is complete and utter bullshit!

shit if I had her money I'd cuss the whole world out!

I bet the lineswoman sees not nar a dime,,,,
[Edited 11/30/09 13:12pm]

i love it when serena gets all hood.


I can just see her cussin out Common when he don't eat that coochie right.

I can't imagine Common not eating the coochie right!
bet he be trying to breathe with all that ass-meat in his face

BklynBabe said:

love 30

a drop in the bucket for her, i'm sure . my stepfather is convinced the fine is racist though

purplepolitician said:

plenty of white people have been fined far more that she was over sports related outbursts.

OnlyNDaUsa said:

i'm sure. dude ("stepfather") is a silly sum-ma-ma-bitch anyways

Chump change to Serena. I am still a fan, though. Go, Serena!!!

And onlyndausa, please post the "plenty of white people" fines in tennis.

I think she sold her swimsuit straps to pay her fine....

JellyBean said:

so it has to be in tennis? How many have cussed out and then threaten an official?


but we know McEnroe has been fined numerous times. As have others. It is pure make believe to say that Williams is the only tennis player to be fined.

And given that she paid more in tax for that match than the fine I really do not why people are so up set. I really do not get why people defend her fowl mouth poor sportsmanship garbage. She had a little temper tantrum like a little spoiled brat and she got called on it. As she should have, as the RULES she agreed to stipulate. She knew she could get fined, she choose to have a little fit.

OnlyNDaUsa said:

In the US Open alone:

"Over $31,000 in fines were handed out in the final grand slam of the season with Daniel Nestor, from Canada, forced to pay $5,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct towards a fan he confronted.

Vera Zvonareva of Russia and Austria's Daniel Koellerer were also fined $1,500 for audible obscenities."

^^ OMG Serena titty falling out!!! Whyyyyy!!!!! Why can't titties stay in the damn swim suit once submerged in water? What kind of physics anti-boobage shit is this? I know titties float but dayum...aint that what spandex is for? Make tatas stay put!

DesireeNevermind said:

Funny, I was thinking, why'd only one fall out....

One man's ceiling is another man's floor....

And who said speech was truly a freedom? Apparently, it's not.

ernestsewell said:

This has nothing what so ever to do with freedom of speech. The 1st amendment only applies to the government not to private organizations. If you cuss someone out at work are you telling me that you could not get in trouble over it?

She was at work and she violated the rules of the game and was punished.