The U.S. Tennis Association fined 2018 U.S. Open runner-up Serena Williams $17,000 Sunday for violations during the women’s final the day before.
Williams will pay for three violations made during the extremely controversial match with 20-year-old Naomi Osaka, who claimed her first grand slam title.
Williams’ first violation for allegedly receiving coaching during a game cost her a warning and $3,000. A second violation, slamming her racket and breaking it, led to a point penalty and a fine of $4,000. The third violation, what umpire Carlos Ramos called verbal abuse when Williams’ called him a “thief” for the point penalty, resulted in her losing a game to penalty and an additional fine of $10,000.
The penalties drew criticism from fans of Williams and many in the tennis world, where a game penalty is extremely rare.
“When a woman is emotional, she’s “hysterical” and she’s penalized for it. When a man does the same, he’s “outspoken” & and there are no repercussions,” Billie Jean King, former World No. 1 professional tennis player and a long-time advocate of women athlete’s rights and equality wrote on Twitter Saturday. “Thank you, @serenawilliams, for calling out this double standard. More voices are needed to do the same.”
With her 6-2, 6-4 victory Sunday, Osaka won Japan’s first tennis Grand Slam title.
Williams’ defeat cost her tying for Margaret Court’s record of 24 major titles.
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