Frances Tiafoe fined $120,000 for cursing at chair umpire at Shanghai Masters, avoids suspension

The 18th-ranked Tiafoe, a 26-year-old from Maryland, could have faced a suspension but will not be barred from competing, the tour said.

File Photo: Frances Tiafoe was fined a total of $120,000 for cursing repeatedly at a chair umpire after losing a match at the Shanghai Masters. | Photo Credit: AP

U.S. Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe was fined a total of $120,000 — but will not be suspended — for cursing repeatedly at a chair umpire after losing a match at the Shanghai Masters last month.

The ATP said on Thursday during its season-ending tournament in Italy that its fines committee handed Tiafoe a penalty of $60,000 for aggravated behaviour on top of the maximum on-site fine of $60,000 he got for verbal abuse.

The 18th-ranked Tiafoe, a 26-year-old from Maryland, could have faced a suspension but will not be barred from competing, the tour said.

During a minute-long tirade after bowing out 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (5) against 61st-ranked Roman Safiullin in the third round at Shanghai, Tiafoe sent about 10 expletives in the direction of official Jimmy Pinoargote.

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Later, Tiafoe posted an apology on social media, calling his reaction “not acceptable behavior” and writing: “That is not who I am and not how I ever want to treat people. I let my frustration in the heat of the moment get the best of me and I’m extremely disappointed with how I handled the situation.”

Tiafoe was angered by being docked a first serve for a time violation at 5-5 in the closing tiebreaker.

Pinoargote ruled that Tiafoe was not making a genuine attempt to serve when he tossed the ball in the air at the baseline as the serve clock was set to expire. Tiafoe initially protested before continuing to play; he lost that point and the next to close the match.

Tiafoe congratulated Safiullin at the net before turning toward the umpire and shouting the first expletives. Tiafoe passed to the other side of the net toward his chair and said the umpire messed up the match.

Tiafoe made it to the semifinals at the U.S. Open in 2022, when he lost at that stage to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz, and got that far again this September before losing in five sets to fellow American Taylor Fritz.