The six-time US Open winner was docked $10,000 for “verbal abuse” of chair umpire Carlos Ramos by the tournament referee’s office on Sunday. Additionally, she has been fined $4,000 for being warned for coaching and $3,000 for breaking her racket. The money comes out of her prize money of $1.85 million as the runner-up. Williams lost 6-2, 6-4 to Osaka in Saturday’s final.
Under Article III, Section P, “verbal abuse” is defined as “a statement about an official, opponent, sponsor, spectator or other people that implies dishonesty or is derogatory, insulting or otherwise abusive.”
The section says a player is subject to a fine up to $20,000 for each violation. There are separate categories for coaching (“Communications of any kind, audible or visible, between a player and a coach may be construed as coaching”) and for abuse of rackets or equipment.
In the controversial final, Serena was adjudged to have recieved coaching from Patrick Mouratoglou; a claim he accepted before being penalised a point later for racket abuse. She was then docked a game for verbal abuse after seven games in the second set. During the verbal tirade, Serena had called Ramos a ‘cheat’ and a ‘thief’.
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