New York: Serena Williams has been fined $17,000 for the three code violations she received during the US Open final, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) said on Sunday.
During Saturday's match, which she lost 2-6, 4-6 to Japan's Naomi Osaka, Serena 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 No. 1 $10,000 for "verbal abuse" of Ramos, $4,000 for being warned for coaching and $3,000 for smashing her racket.
Serena, who was seeking a record-equalling 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.
But after the match, Osaka's coach Sascha Bajin tweeted: "Thank you @serenawilliams total class at the speech and you truly are the goat." Bajin is a former hitting partner of Serena.
"If it was men's match, this wouldn't happen like this. It just wouldn't," two-time major winner and former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka reacted on Twitter.
"The star of the show has been once again the chair umpire. Second time in this US Open and third time for Serena in a US Open Final.
"Should they be allowed have an influence on the result of a match? When do we decide that this should never happen again?" was Serena's coach Patrick Mouratoglou's comment.
James Blake tweeted: "I will admit I have said worse and not gotten penalized. And I've also been given a "soft warning" by the ump where they tell you knock it off or I will have to give you a violation. He should have at least given her that courtesy. Sad to mar a well played final that way."
There was support for the young champion too. "Congratulations on winning the 2018 @usopen, @Naomi_Osaka. This win is just the beginning of a bright future. Tennis is in an exciting place right now with players like you," tweeted the legendary Billie Jean King.
"Serena is a champion & doesn't deserve it - the same way that Naomi is a champion & doesn't deserve this atmosphere for her first GS title!," wrote French player Kristina Mladenovic.
Katrina Adams, head of the USTA, said: "What Serena did on the podium on Sunday showed (when she asked the crowd to stop booing Osaka) a great deal of class and sportsmanship. This was Naomi's moment, and Serena wanted her to be able to enjoy it. That was a class move from a true champion. What Serena has accomplished this year in playing her way back on to the tour is truly amazing. She is an inspiration to me, personally, and a credit to our sport, win or lose." US Open said in a statement: "The chair umpire's decision was final."
Meanwhile, Ashleigh Barty and CoCo Vandeweghe won their first Grand Slam doubles title, on Sunday. The No. 13 seeds saved three match points to win a thrilling women's doubles final, defeating No. 2 seeds Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic in the final, 3-6, 7-6, 7-6.
