Serena Williams Slapped With $82K Fine

Serena Williams was fined a record $82,500 for her US Open tirade and could be suspended from that tournament if she has another "major offense" at any Grand Slam in the next two years. In a ruling released today, Grand Slam administrator Bill Babcock said Williams faces a "probationary period" at tennis' four major championships in 2010 and 2011. Another big offense would jack the fine up $175,000.

He said Williams is handing over $82,500 right now, already nearly double the previous highest fine for a Grand Slam offense—Jeff Tarango was docked about $48,000 in the 1990s. Williams' profanity-laced, finger-pointing outburst drew a $10,000 fine from the US Tennis Association in September, 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. (More Serena Williams stories.)