Tennis: Williams fined $17,000 for U.S. Open code violations

Serena Williams has been fined 17,000 dollars for the code violations she received during the U.S. Open final, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) said on Sunday.

During Saturday’s match, which she lost 6-2 6-4 to Japan’s Naomi Osaka, Williams was handed a coaching violation and a point penalty for breaking her racquet before a heated argument with umpire Carlos Ramos ended with her losing a game.

The tournament referee’s office fined the former world number one 10,000 dollars for the “verbal abuse” of Ramos, 4,000 dollars for being warned for coaching and 3,000 dollars for smashing her racket.

Williams, who was seeking a record-equaling 24th Grand Slam singles title on Saturday, vigorously disputed each of the violations during the match.

She demanded Ramos apologise for handing her a coaching violation and later called the umpire a “thief” for giving her a point penalty.