Serena fined $2,000 for U.S. Open behavior

Flushing Meadows, NY – The U.S. Open has fined Serena Williams $2,000 following a behavioral incident during Sunday's women's final in Flushing Meadows.

U.S. Open tournament referee Brian Earley decided to issue the fine following a code violation by Williams for verbal abuse. The $2,000 fine is consistent with similar offenses at Grand Slam tournaments.

Trailing by a set and facing break point at the beginning of the second stanza on Sunday against eventual champion Samantha Stosur, Williams blasted a forehand that she celebrated with her customary yell of "Come on!" But she yelled while Stosur was preparing for a backhand return and the chair umpire promptly awarded the point to Stosur, which set Williams off on a tirade directed at the umpire, Eva Asderaki, saying things such as: "You're out of control," and "You're a hater, and you're just unattractive inside," as well as "Really, don't even look at me."

Two years ago, the 13-time Grand Slam champion Williams directed a tirade towards a lines woman who called an untimely foot fault during a semifinal match between the American and eventual 2009 champion Kim Clijsters. Williams, who wound up losing to Clijsters after a penalty point was awarded to the Belgian star, was fined and placed on probation, which meant another "major offense" down the road would prevent her from playing at the next U.S. Open.

Sunday's tirade by the three-time U.S. Open champ did not quite compare to the one from two years ago, so it was not deemed a major offense this time around.

The Grand Slam committee director determined that Williams' conduct on Sunday, while verbally abusive, "does not rise to the level of a major offense under the Grand Slam Code of Conduct."

The former No. 1 Williams, seeded 28th this year, lost to the Australian Stosur 6-2, 6-3 in Sunday's U.S. Open finale at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.