World number one Serena Williams could potentially face a fine of one million dollars because of her unsportsmanlike conduct at the US Open.
The International Tennis Federation’s Grand Slam Committee is expected to announce its decision this weekend as to whether Serena will be fined or suspended for her actions.
Among the options being discussed, according to Australia’s Courier Mail, is a fine of one million dollars or the loss of her US Open prize money and ranking points. Williams could also potentially face a suspension from the 2010 US Open.
A fine of $1 million would be pretty meaningless, seeing as Serena has won over $28 million in prize-money in her career, plus countless more in off-court earnings.
The US Open would be the most appropriate Major from which to suspend her, but to suspend her from the Australian Open would minimise the probability of her retiring before she serves her suspension. My suggestion is to suspend her from all four Majors in 2010.
I do not hate Serena Williams, but the ITF needs to send out a clear message that threatening behaviour will not be tolerated.
Oh, come on.
Her reaction wasn’t ok, but everybody would be angry at a semi-final of a grandslam at that point.
Serena 4life!
Win all the FOUR grandslams in 2010!
Everybody gets angry sometimes, or they wouldn’t be human. But there’s always a line you don’t cross, and Serena crossed it when she used threatening language and body-language against that lineswoman.
Anger is a dangerous emotion if left unchecked, as it can all too easily spill over into lethal violence, even in just 5 to 10 seconds.
That’s why the ITF needs to send a clear message of zero tolerance out to the world, by making an example of Serena Williams. It will make people think twice in the future, before someone really gets hurt.
A fine of one million is excessive, and I don’t think she’d just accept that. The ITF will need to make that the going rate if that is the case, and how many women can actually afford that as a fine. And what of little Vika, etc. who have touched linesmen and women and it has been viewed as cute…will they be fined as well?
I don’t want her suspended, but I don’t think she should have to pay a crazy obnoxious amount of money. It sounds like someone just pulled that number out of the sky because it sounds “big enough.”
What I think is just is to take away her earnings of the tournament in singles and doubles which would amount to well over a quarter million dollars (which is the most one can be fined according to ITF rules).
I agree with you, Andrew. I think a fine will not be effective here. A million wont do much damage to someone who earns as much as Serena. I also think she needs to be suspended from majors. I was quite shocked she was allowed to play Doha.
If ITF backs off and give her a fine (with a possibility of reduction for good behaviour -WHAT?!) it will send a clear message about their double standards.
It’s come through anyway as it takes them ages to “decide” about the punishment. It was simply a tactical move so they were able to let her play till the end of the season.
I have an impression she’ll get away with it, they don’t seem to have enough spine to punish her properly so I guess it will be a few thounsands dollars fine which will, in the end, be paid by some of her sponsors.
Yes – it’s a shame they didn’t extend the same courtesy to Yanina Wickmayer, who is being punished far more severely for a clerical error than Serena is for threatening a life.