8 biggest fines in tennis history

• Losing a match on the court leaves some players to find themselves on the edge
• The chair umpire gives warnings
• Several of the best players have had meltdowns

It is not always comforting losing a match on the court, and, in most cases, some players find themselves on edge. And that’s the genesis of the biggest fines in tennis history.

In every tennis match, the chair umpire gives warnings, takes away points, and ends games if players violate regulations. They wield so much power that they can disqualify you from the game.

Despite the fact that tennis is often thought of as a gentleman’s game, several of the best players have had meltdowns. The ATP and WTA players have been fined for misbehaving in the top competitions over the last 20 years.

Players who engage in emotional outbursts, and ridiculous racquet abuse displays bear the burden of fines. There are questions about the biggest fines in tennis history, and we are exploring this in depth.

These are tennis players who paid huge fines.

JOHN MCENROE

John McEnroe Musician. Photo/Tennis.com

During his match against Slobodan Zivojinovic, John McEnroe used vulgar language and contested the chair umpire’s rulings. This earned him a $17,500 fine.

Although McEnroe has a history of fights with the chair umpire, the US Open in 1987 saw him get his biggest fine.

He also got a two-month suspension. Later, McEnroe said that the umpire ruined his match.

SERENA WILLIAMS

Serena Williams Secret Achievements. Photo/Getty Images

During her match against Naomi Osaka in the US Open finals of 2018, Serena Williams got a $17,000 fine. This was after breaking the code of conduct.

During her defeat, the American referred to the umpire as a “thief” and a “fraud.” Williams charged the umpire with s3xism.

BERNARD TOMIC

At the 2019 Wimbledon Championships, Bernard Tomic lost to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the first round. He was then penalised $80,000 for “not playing to the required standards.”

The Frenchman beat Tomic 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 in just 58 minutes, making it the All England Lawn Tennis Club’s quickest singles match ever. He was penalised with his entire winnings, and the total fine ended up being the biggest fines in tennis history.

NICK KYRGIOS

Nick Kyrgios outburst. Photo/Sporting News

The ATP fined Nick Kyrgios $113,000, one of the highest fines in tennis history. He is known as the King of Controversies. He was penalised for breaking the behaviour code after losing to Karen Khachanov in Cincinnati’s second round of the 2019 Western & Southern Open.

At the Italian Open in 2019, Kyrgios got another fine of $35,000 for using foul language toward spectators. He also slammed the ball with his racket into the court.

Additionally, the Australian lost all of the tournament-related points he had accrued. He was also forced to pay the ATP for his lodging. He got the biggest finest in tennis history.

DANIIL MEDVEDEV

Daniil Medvedev received one of the largest tennis fines in Wimbledon history since records first began in 1991 during the 2017 Wimbledon Championships. Medvedev received three code of conduct violations and a $26,000 fine for tossing coins at the umpire’s chair.

He received a $4,000 fine as a stern warning for demeaning the chair umpire. Additionally, he was fined $7,500 for throwing the money at the umpire’s chair and $3,000 for disrespecting her again.

FABIO FOGNINI

Fabio Fognini received two deductions for unsportsmanlike behaviour and one for profanity. One of the unsportsmanlike conduct fines was $20,000 in total.

Fognini crashed his racket onto the court during his victory over Alex Kuznetsov in the opening round of the 2014 Wimbledon Championships. The chair umpire and another official at the game also got into a heated confrontation with the Italian.

DAVID NALBANDIAN

During the 2012 Queen’s Championship finals match against Marin Cilic, David Nalbandian engaged in unsportsmanlike behaviour. This resulted in his disqualification and a $12,560 fine.

During the game, Nalbandian kicked a billboard out of fury. A piece of the board that was flying when he kicked it struck the linesman in the left shin. Along with the fine, Nalbandian’s prize money from the competition was deducted, totalling $57,350.

JEFF TARANGO

One of Wimbledon’s largest tennis fines ever was levied against Jeff Tarango. Tarango carried a sizable $43,756 during his play at the 1995 Wimbledon Championships.

He got in trouble for telling the onlookers to “shut up”. Before receiving the second infraction, he labelled the chair umpire “the most corrupt official of the game.”

In the second set, the umpire was smacked in the face by Tarango’s wife after he left the court. Jeff has been disqualified from two major competitions, including the Wimbledon Championships the following year, by the ITF’s Grand Slam committee.