Frances Tiafoe, the American tennis player, has been fined a total of $120,000 for his outburst at a chair umpire during the Shanghai Masters tournament last month. The ATP, the governing body for men's tennis, announced on Thursday that Tiafoe was fined $60,000 for aggravated behavior and an additional on-site fine of $60,000 for verbal abuse.
The incident took place during Tiafoe's match against Russian Roman Safiullin at the Shanghai Masters in October. Tiafoe became visibly upset when he received a time violation on a first serve in the final set tie-break with the scores tied at 5-5.
During the match, Tiafoe argued with chair umpire Jimmy Pinoargote, claiming that he had already tossed the ball up for a serve. However, Pinoargote insisted it was Tiafoe's second serve, leading to a heated exchange between the player and the umpire.
Following the match, Tiafoe directed a series of expletives at Pinoargote, expressing his frustration and disappointment. Despite his outburst, Tiafoe later took to social media to apologize for his behavior, stating that his actions were not reflective of his character.
Tiafoe, currently ranked world No. 18, acknowledged that he let his emotions get the best of him in the heat of the moment and expressed regret for his conduct towards the umpire, the tournament, and the fans.
It is essential for players to maintain professionalism and respect on the court, and Tiafoe's incident serves as a reminder of the importance of sportsmanship in tennis.
