Serena Williams hit with £8,000 fine for damaging Wimbledon court with racket
SERENA WILLIAMS has been hit with a £8,000 FINE for damaging one of Wimbledon’s Championship courts.
The American, 37, was rapped after it emerged last night she had been charged with unsportsmanlike conduct by tennis chiefs.
SW19 bosses claim she caused considerable damage with her racket on June 30 — the day before the tournament started.
But pictures have also shown her slamming her racket in the ground on Court No 15 two days earlier.
And it follows Williams’ infamous US Open final meltdown in September when she called umpire Carlos Ramos a “liar” and “thief” for handing her three code violations.
Despite the row, she cruised into the last eight of the singles by beating Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2-6-2.
And Williams, 37, joked she is keen to win the name-game with mixed doubles partner Andy Murray.
She said: “We haven’t yet decided what we’re going to call ourselves as a nickname.
“He did tweet ‘SerAndy’ but I like ‘Murena’. My vote’s that.”
Asked if she found the attention on their superstar pairing a little strange, she insisted: “No, it’s great. I’ve been really enjoying the mixed doubles and our pairing —it’s pretty awesome.”
Next up for them is a second-round clash with No 14 seeds Fabrice Martin of France and American Raquel Atawo today.
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Williams said: “We just have to be focused, go out there and do what we have to do.
“It’s hard to play people who are really experienced in doubles.
“We’ll just bring our singles attitude to the court with a doubles mindset.”
Williams outclassed Spaniard Suarez Navarro — who has now lost seven in a row against her. And it earned her a showdown with Alison Riske, who KO’d world No 1 Ashleigh Barty.