Serena Williams has been fined $175,000 and handed a three-year suspended ban from the US Open for her foul-mouthed tirade at Flushing Meadows in September, the International Tennis Federation has announced.
The ITF said any further offence at a grand slam event in the next two years would see the world number one suspended from the US Open in 2010, 2011, or 2012. The fine will be reduced to $82,500 if she commits no further major offence until 2011.
Williams abused a lineswoman after a foot-fault call at the end of her semi-final defeat to eventual winner Kim Clijsters.
Replays indicated the foot fault call had been a harsh one and it incensed the second seed, who quickly moved towards the lineswoman, waving her racquet angrily at the woman, who was then beckoned by the chair umpire to explain what had been said.

Smashing

Williams earlier picked up a first code violation for smashing her racquet at the end of the first set and this time tournament referee Brian Earley was called to the chair.
After discussing the situation with the player, lineswoman and chair umpire, Williams was handed a second code violation, the resultant point penalty handing victory to Clijsters, 6-4 7-5.
The International Tennis Federation's Grand Slam Committee met last week to agree on a punishment and found the American guilty of "the Grand Slam major offence of aggravated behaviour".
The previous highest fine for a Grand Slam offence was $63,000, coupled with a ban from two Grand Slam tournaments, handed to American Jeff Tarango at Wimbledon in 1995.