Britain’s Heather Watson was handed the second-largest single fine in Wimbledon history on Saturday – $12,000 (£9,043) for unsportsmanlike conduct in her first-round defeat by Annika Beck of Germany. The British No2, who squandered three match points as she lost 3-6, 6-0, 12-10 on Thursday, smashed her racket into the grass after the morale-sapping defeat.
Her fine is only beaten by the $20,000 handed to Fabio Fognini during the 2014 tournament, also for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Italian received his for “damaging the court” but was also given an extra fine of $7,500 for abusing the tournament official Wayne McKewen and making an obscene gesture to his opponent.
Watson’s defeat was one of the most disappointing of her career, coming 12 months after she was two points from beating Serena Williams in the third round here.
The Briton, who will slide 10 places down the rankings to No65 after Wimbledon, said she wanted to “punish herself” after the defeat, so went on Twitter and read all the abuse that came her way. “I was in a bad mood,” she said. “It’s like when you’re in a bad mood and you bang your racquet, it’s not a positive thing.”
Watson is in good company, with women’s champion Williams, Viktor Troicki and Nick Kyrgios among those fined. Williams, the world No1, was fined $10,000 after she threw her racket behind her and it collided with a cameraman. An incensed Troicki was involved in a rant against the umpire in his defeat by Albert Ramos-Viñolas, the Serb accusing him of being the “worst umpire ever”. Kyrgios was fined in his first two matches, $2,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct in the first round and $4,000 for an audible obscenity in the second.
