Mega punishment after a bad freak out
In October, Frances Tiafoe blew the fuses at the ATP Masters Shanghai. Now the American tennis star is being given a draconian punishment.
In October, Frances Tiafoe blew the fuses at the ATP Masters Shanghai. Now the American tennis star is being given a draconian punishment.
Frances Tiafoe’s verbal outburst at the ATP Masters Shanghai in October resulted in a draconian punishment. The world number 18 has to pay a total of 120,000 US dollars (approx. 114,000 euros) – one of the highest fines ever imposed in tennis.
Specifically, Tiafoe is due $60,000 for insults against referee Jimmy Pinoargrote and the same amount for “serious misconduct.”
Tiafoe lost in the second round against Roman Safiullin 7:5, 5:7, 6:7 (5:7) at the Shanghai Masters in October. After the match, the American’s fuse blew when he hurled a series of vicious insults at Pinoargrote.
Tiafoe apologizes for freaking out
“F*** you, F*** you. Really, F*** you, you idiot. You destroyed my game. Do your damn work. I’ve been running and fighting for my life here for three hours,” complained the 26-year-old tennis star. The referee had warned Tiafoe for exceeding time when the score was 5:5 in the tiebreak of the third set.
The evening after the match, Tiafoe showed remorse for his behavior. “In the heat of the moment, frustration took over. “I am extremely disappointed with how I handled the situation,” he wrote on Instagram, among other things.
The fine now imposed, equivalent to around 114,000 euros, is the second highest in ATP history. Tiafoe joins Hugo Gaston, who had to pay 144,000 euros in 2023 after four unsportsmanlike acts in one season. However, the penalty was later reduced to 77,000 euros and the remaining sum was placed on probation.
