TIMESONLINE is reporting that Serena will pay (cash) for her outburst at the US Open rather than face suspension from future grand-slam tournaments. I am so happy that a decision has been reached and that she is not being suspended / banned from a Grand Slam event. The grand-slam committee met in London this weekend to discuss the world No 1’s comments to a lineswoman who foot-faulted her at a critical juncture of the semi-final in New York against Kim Clijsters.
Williams was trailing 5-6, 30-15 in the third set to the Belgian when she was called for stepping on the line. Her incendiary reaction — including prodigious use of the f-word — was such that the American received a point penalty, which handed her opponent the match and a place in the final. There has been much speculation in the intervening weeks that the chairmen of the grand-slams might decide to suspend the Australian Open and Wimbledon champion from one of the tournaments that they oversee. Instead, it is believed they have come down on the side of a financial penalty, somewhere in the region of $150,000 which would amount to less than half the prize money she received as a semifinalist at the US Open.
It required two apologies from Williams for the furore to die down after the first was considered not remorseful enough. At the second time of asking, she said: “I want to sincerely apologise first to the lineswoman, the USTA, and mostly tennis fans everywhere for my inappropriate outburst. “I’m a woman of great pride, faith and integrity, and I admit when I’m wrong. “I need to make it clear to all young people that I handled myself inappropriately and it’s not the way to act — win or lose, good call or bad call in any sport, in any manner. “I like to lead by example. We all learn from experiences both good and bad, I will learn and grow from this, and be a better person as a result.”
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