Even the most accomplished athletes have admitted that they fall short of perfection in their respective fields. The list of such athletes also includes the 23-time Grand Slam champion, Serena Williams. The American tennis star is known for her stellar performances on the court as she dominated her rivals throughout her career. However, there were a few incidents when Williams was also involved in outbursts on the tennis court.

One of the most notable incidents occurred when Williams was playing her Grand Slam match in 2009 at Flushing Meadows. Later on, the former world No. 1 also faced a two-year probation as a consequence of her actions on the court.

Serena Williams once faced probation at Grand Slam events

Along with delivering fans with some of the most incredible performances on the court, Serena Williams also caught the attention of the world because of her emotional outbursts during her high-profile matches. The 23 major title winner faced a similar situation when she participated in the US Ope 2009.

In the tournament in New York, the 6-time US Open champion was playing against the former Belgian tennis player, Kim Clijsters, in the semifinals. During this match, Williams vented out her frustration by throwing her racket on the court after her she lost the first set. As a result, she got a warning from the umpire for her actions. Later on, during the game, the American tennis player’s foot touched the court’s baseline during one of her service games and the lineswoman called a foot fault.

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Unsurprisingly, Serena was furious with the call made by the lineswoman and yelled at her by stating, “take this f***ing ball and shove it down your f***ing throat”

Later on, the lineswoman complained of Williams’ outburst by stating that she threatened to kill her with her statement. However, Williams clarified the situation by stating, “I did not threaten to kill you. Are you serious?” Due to her outbursts during the game, the former US Open champion was placed under a two-year probation.

Serena paid a hefty fine after the incident

Apart from the two-year probation, the American tennis legend was fined a hefty amount of $175,000 by the Grand Slam authorities. However, the hefty fine was later reduced to $82,500. It is still considered one of the heaviest fines paid by a tennis professional.

Later on, Williams apologized to everyone, including the lineswoman, her opponent, and also the Grand Slam authorities. The former US Open champion also stated that she didn’t handle the situation well. Williams added that her outburst was inappropriate and apologized to her fans for her behavior.

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