US Open semi-finalist Francis Tiafoe has been fined a total of $120,000, but not suspended, for repeatedly verbally abusing the referee after losing a match at last month's Shanghai Masters. .
The ATP announced on Thursday that its fines committee had slapped Tiafoe with a maximum on-site fine of $60,000 for verbal abuse and a $60,000 fine for aggravated conduct during the season finale in Italy. .
Tiafoe, a 26-year-old from Maryland and ranked 18th in the world, could have been suspended, but the tour said he would not be prevented from competing.
During a minute-long rant after defeating world No. 61 Roman Safiurin 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (5) in the third round in Shanghai, Tiafoe told official Jimmy Pino-Argote About 10 people insulted him.
Tiafoe later posted an apology on social media, calling her reaction “unacceptable behavior” and writing: I am so frustrated with the intensity that I feel very bad about the way I handled the situation. ”
Tiafoe was furious at the end of the tiebreak when his first serve was taken for a time violation at 5-5.
Pino-Argote ruled that Tiafoe was not making a genuine attempt to serve when he tossed the ball in the air at the baseline just before the serve clock expired. Tiafoe initially protested before continuing to play. He lost that point, then the next point, ending the match.
Tiafoe congratulated Safiulin at the net, then turned to the referee and shouted his first expletive. Tiafoe passed towards a chair on the other side of the net, claiming the referee had ruined the match.
Tiafoe reached the semi-finals of the 2022 US Open, but lost at that stage to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz, and made it that far again in September of this year, only to be beaten by fellow American Taylor Fritz in 5 I lost in sets.
