TheSportsCampus

The Grand Slam Committee today released information on its ruling on the Serena Williams outburst episode earlier this year at the US Open. On 9 November 2009, the Grand Slam Committee Administrator determined that Serena Williams had committed the Grand Slam Major Offence of Aggravated Behaviour

for her misconduct at the 2009 US Open (she abused a line-judge after she was called for a foot fault at a critical stage of her semi-final match against Kim Clijsters).

The Penalties enforced were as follows:

1. Ms. Williams was fined $175,000 (including the $10,000 penalty already paid) which will be reduced to $82,500 if no further Grand Slam Major Offence conviction occurs upto the end of 2011;

2. Serena was handed a suspended sentence from participation in either the 2010, 2011 or 2012 US Open, should she commit a further Grand Slam Major Offence conviction over the next three years (Basically she'll be banned from the following year's Open if she repeats this kind of behaviour);

3. If a further Grand Slam Major Offence is committed during the period, the full penalties will be re-instated in addition to any other penalties imposed for the subsequent Grand Slam Major Offence;

4. As always, all financial penalties arising from misconduct at Grand Slam tournaments are donated by the Grand Slam tournaments to the Grand Slam Development Fund.

On 28 November 2009, the Grand Slam Committee affirmed the Decision and Penalties of the Administrator and informed Serena Williams of the same. The Grand Slam Committee is the independent governing body responsible for, among other duties and functions, the establishment and enforcement of the Grand Slam Rules, Regulations and Code of Conduct. It constitutes a member each from the four Grand Slams - Geoff Pollard (Aus), Jean Gachassin (Fra), Tim Phillips (Wimb) and Lucy S. Garvin (US).