Serena Williams Slapped with Record $82,500 Fine & Put on Probation for US Open Outburst

On Monday, Grand Slam administrator Bill Babcock revealed that Serena Williams was fined a record $82,500 for her tirade at this year's U.S. Open, and could be suspended from that tournament if she has another "major offense" at any Grand Slam in the next two years. The decision will be formally released later today.

Babcock told press that Williams faces a "probationary period" at tennis' four major championships in both 2010 and 2011. If she has another "major offense" at any one of the Grand Slam tournaments , her fine would increase to $175,000 and she would be barred from the next U.S. Open. If she doesn't have another offense in the next two years, the suspension will be lifted.

The previous highest fine for an offense in a Grand Slam was $48,000 in the 1990s to Jeff Tarango.

At the US Open in September, Williams lashed out at a lineswoman after a foot-fault call near the end of her semifinal loss to Kim Clijsters, who became the tournament champ. She received a $10,000 fine from the US Tennis Association in Sept., which is the maximum on-site penalty a tennis player can face. But, because it was a Grand Slam tournament, Babcock was charged with investigating whether or not further punishment was required.

Babcock concluded that Williams violated the "major offense" rule for "aggravated behavior". The Grand Slam committee, which consists of one representative from each of tennis' four major championships, approved his decision on Saturday. He said that Williams had been informed of the ruling.

By reaching the semifinals, Williams earned $350,000. In 2009 she won more than $6.5 million in prize money, which is a single season record for women's tennis. Her total career prize money stands at $28 million. So, the $82,500 fine is significant, but a drop in the bucket for her.