Serena Williams fined $82,500 and put on probation for U.S. Open tirade

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Serena Williams was fined $82,500 for her outburst in the U.S. Open and could be suspended from future U.S. Opens if she has another ‘major offense’ at any Grand Slam tournament in the next two years.

Grand Slam administrator Bill Babcock’s ruling was released Monday. He said Williams faces a ‘probationary period’ at tennis’ four major championships in 2010 and 2011. If she has another ‘major offense’ at a Grand Slam tournament in that time, the fine would increase to $175,000 and she would be barred from the following U.S. Open.

Williams lashed out at a line judge after a foot-fault call at the end of her semifinal loss to Kim Clijsters in September.

Williams earned $350,000 by reaching the semifinals, part of her more than $6.5 million in prize money in 2009, a single-season record for women’s tennis. Her outburst drew a $10,000 fine from the U.S. Tennis Assn., the maximum on-site penalty a tennis player can face. But because it happened at a Grand Slam tournament, Babcock was charged with investigating whether further punishment was merited.

He concluded that Williams violated the ‘major offense’ rule for ‘aggravated behavior.’ The Grand Slam committee -- with one representative from each of the sport’s four major championships -- approved his decision.

Babcock said Williams has been informed of the ruling. She has been in Barbados for an exhibition tournament, and her agent did not immediately reply to a request for comment from the Associated Press on Monday.

-- Houston Mitchell