TURIN, Italy — US Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe was fined a complete of $120,000 — however won’t be suspended — for cursing repeatedly at a chair umpire after shedding a match on the Shanghai Masters final month.
The ATP stated Thursday throughout its season-ending event in Italy that its fines committee handed Tiafoe a penalty of $60,000 for aggravated habits on high of the utmost on-site superb of $60,000 he obtained for verbal abuse.
The 18th-ranked Tiafoe, a 26-year-old from Maryland, may have confronted a suspension however won’t be barred from competing, the tour stated.
Throughout a minute-long tirade after bowing out 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (5) in opposition to 61st-ranked Roman Safiullin within the third spherical at Shanghai, Tiafoe despatched about 10 expletives within the route of official Jimmy Pinoargote.
Later, Tiafoe posted an apology on social media, calling his response “not acceptable habits” and writing: “That’s not who I’m and never how I ever need to deal with folks. I let my frustration within the warmth of the second get one of the best of me and I am extraordinarily dissatisfied with how I dealt with the state of affairs.”
Tiafoe was angered by being docked a primary serve for a time violation at 5-5 within the closing tiebreaker.
Pinoargote dominated that Tiafoe was not making a real try and serve when he tossed the ball within the air on the baseline because the serve clock was set to run out. Tiafoe initially protested earlier than persevering with to play; he misplaced that time and the following to shut the match.
Tiafoe congratulated Safiullin on the internet earlier than turning towards the umpire and shouting the primary expletives. Tiafoe handed to the opposite facet of the online towards his chair and stated the umpire tousled the match.
Tiafoe made it to the semifinals on the US Open in 2022, when he misplaced at that stage to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz, and obtained that far once more in September earlier than shedding in 5 units to fellow American Taylor Fritz.
