Serena Williams Fined $17,000, Governing Body Defends Umpire

NEW YORK (AP) — Serena Williams has been fined a total of $17,000 for three code violations during her loss to Naomi Osaka in the U.S. Open final. On Sunday, a day after the match, the tournament referee's office docked Williams $10,000 for "verbal abuse" of chair umpire Carlos Ramos, $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 to Osaka.

LONDON (AP) — The International Tennis Federation is defending the chair umpire who gave Serena Williams three code violations during the U.S. Open final, saying his "decisions were in accordance with the relevant rules."

Williams was cited by Carlos Ramos three times Saturday during her 6-2, 6-4 loss to Naomi Osaka: for getting coaching signals; for breaking her racket, which cost her a point; and for calling Ramos a thief, which cost her a game.

On Sunday, the tournament referee docked Williams $10,000 for "verbal abuse" of the chair umpire, $4,000 for being warned for coaching and $3,000 for breaking her racket.

The ITF said in a statement Monday that Ramos' citations were "reaffirmed by the U.S. Open's decision to fine Serena Williams for the three offenses."

The governing body of tennis added that: "Ramos undertook his duties as an official according to the relevant rule book and acted at all times with professionalism and integrity."