'It's ridiculous': Serena Williams at centre of new Wimbledon firestorm
The tennis world has erupted after Wimbledon announced fines for Serena Williams and Fabio Fognini - but very different amounts for very different acts.
Serena was handed a US$10,000 fine (AU$14,300) on Monday for damaging one of the match courts with her racquet during a practice session ahead of the tournament.
The All England Club is notoriously protective of their hallowed turf, coming down hard on anyone who damages the grass courts.
Meanwhile, Fognini was fined $US3000 ($A4300) after saying Wimbledon should be bombed.
The volatile Italian ace made the outburst in his native tongue during his third-round loss to Tennys Sandgren on Saturday.
Unhappy at having been scheduled on the small Court 14, Fognini said: "Damn English. I wish a bomb would explode on this club. A bomb should explode here."
He later apologised, saying: "If somebody feels offended, I say sorry. No problem."
However a number of fans and journos were gobsmacked at the difference between the fines for Fognini and Serena, with many of the opinion that the Italian’s actions deserved more.
Also in fines today, Serena Williams was fined $10,000 for damaging a championships court with her racquet during a pretournament practice.
Not unusual for #Wimbledon to dish out big fines like that for injuring its treasured lawns, but I've never heard of one pre-event before.— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) July 8, 2019
So get this, Serena Williams (a woman) was fined $10,000 for accidentally damaging a court during a practice from her racket.
Fabio Fognini (a man) was fined only $3,000 for saying 'I wish a bomb would hit Wimbledon" during his losing match.
I see a problem. pic.twitter.com/h4WDRKbka3— Eric Perry (@EricpNBC12) July 9, 2019
So Serena $10,000 fine for dinking the grass and Fognini $3000 fine for wishing a bomb would go off on this club🤷🏽♀️
— Chip's Girlfriend (@femmenikita411) July 8, 2019
Serena Williams gets fined £8,000 for damaging a Wimbledon surface with her tennis racquet. Fabio Fognini gets fined £2,400 for saying Wimbledon should be bombed. Wow. Pretty sure a bomb would do more damage than a tennis racquet. #Wimbledon19 #equalrights
— JeddOwen (@JeddOwen) July 8, 2019
Ah, very cool stuff.
Serena Williams was fined $10,000 for "damaging" a #Wimbledon practice court before the the tournament started.
Fabio Fognini got fined only $3,000 for hoping the All England Club and everybody in got blown up.
Totally normal system. pic.twitter.com/fbAKR851Mp— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) July 8, 2019
So, Serena was fined $7,000 more for denting a court before the event even began than Fognini was for loudly hoping that the whole club was blown to smithereens on live TV?
Cool cool cool. https://t.co/8z5aAMfhrS— Fraser Caldwell (@fraser_caldwell) July 8, 2019
Serena fined $10,000 and Fognini fined $3000. I’m sorry, where’s the gender equality in that? #Wimbledon
— James (@jamcs) July 9, 2019
So Fognini fine ($3000) for saying #Wimbledon should be bombed is three times smaller than Serena's fine ($10,000) for damaging court in pre-tournament practice. The logic.
— Tanuj Lakhina (@tanujlakhina) July 8, 2019
According to @BenRothenberg, Fabio Fognini only got fined $3k for saying #Wimbledon should be bombed, yet Serena Williams got fined $10k for damaging the court with her racquet. Seems highly questionable. 🤔
— Ben Weixlmann (@BWeixlmann) July 8, 2019
It's a ridiculous fine I agree! Imagine someone with little funds trying to play tennis
— O R A T I L E (@O_infinity) July 8, 2019
Serena was fined $10,000 for apparently “damaging a Wimbledon court” when Fabio literally said he hoped a bomb would explode and he only got a $3,000 fine? pic.twitter.com/EnKEMWybPK
— Rena Rena (@serenakeyss) July 9, 2019
Leniency for Fognini?
Fognini was under the threat of a suspension covering two grand slam tournaments if he committed another major offence after being heavily sanctioned at the US Open two years ago for misogynistic and abusive remarks towards a female umpire.
Wimbledon chief executive Richard Lewis had played down the incident at a press briefing on Monday morning, saying: "It's in the heat of the moment. It's an unfortunate comment but we readily accept the apology."
The fine Fognini has been given is at the more lenient end of the punishments scale, meaning there is no danger of him having to serve a ban.
More than 1000 bombs fell in the area during World War II, destroying thousands of nearby homes, and 16 fell on the tournament grounds. One hit Centre Court.
Aussie stars fined
Nick Kyrgios was handed two fines, one for $US3000 from the first round and another for $US5000 from the second round - both for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The Australian lost to Rafael Nadal in five sets in the second round.
Bernard Tomic has taken legal advice as he appeals his record-setting fine.
Tomic was docked STG45,000 ($A80,762) - his entire first-round prize money - for allegedly not giving his best efforts during a lame 6-2 6-1 6-4 loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Tsonga and world No.1 Novak Djokovic, along with Tomic's fellow Australians Nick Kyrgios and John Millman and former US Open women's champion Sloane Stephens, have all questioned the fairness of the heavy-handed sanctioning.
Now Tomic will challenge it, claiming he was sick before taking the court for the 58-minute cameo, the shortest men's singles match at the All England Club in 15 years.
with AAP
