Vile tirade outs Italian
ITALIAN tennis player Fabio Fognini has been kicked out of the US Open doubles tournament and faces a possible permanent ban from all grand slam events after vulgarly insulting the chair umpire during his first-round singles loss.
Fognini was cited for swearing at match umpire Louise Engzell in his native Italian – calling the chair umpire a whore. If the Grand Slam Board determines Fognini committed a “major offence,” the Italian also could be fined up to $250,000.
Fognini, who was seeded 22nd in singles, was fined $24,000 by the US Open – nearly half of his $50,000 prize money in singles – for unsportsmanlike conduct during his loss to Stefano Travaglia.