Repentant Fognini fears Australian Open ban

MILAN: Hot-headed Italian tennis star Fabio Fognini said he would accept an Australian Open ban after being kicked out of the US Open for a sexist tirade at a female umpire.

The 30-year-old insulted Swedish umpire Louise Engzell after his first-round singles defeat against fellow Italian Stefano Travaglia.

Fognini, the world No. 26, who is married to 2015 US Open champion Flavia Pennetta, had already been fined US$24,000 (RM102,000) for the incident.

But he fears he could now face a ban from the first Grand Slam of next season in Melbourne.

“Should (the Grand Slam Board) decide to ban me from the next Australian Open, I will accept the decision, because actions have consequences, and I need to pay for what I did,” Fognini told Italian Sky Sports TV.

“I am aware of the severity of my mistake, I take full responsibility for it. A decision will be made, and I’ll move on, I’ll turn the page, with this stain on my shoulder that will never go away.”

Fognini has a controversial history of on-court behaviour and was handed a record fine of US$27,500 (RM117,000) at Wimbledon in 2014. But he insisted his Flushing Meadows meltdown would be his last.

“There won’t be a next time,” he said. “I know what came out of my mouth, I can’t take it back, but I know I won’t do it again.”