Fabio Fognini found guilty of major offenses by Grand Slam board

Italian tennis player Fabio Fognini was handed a suspended ban of two Grand Slam tournaments on Wednesday for insulting a chair umpire at the U.S. Open.

Fabio Fognini of Italy returns the ball to Roberto Bautista of Spain during the St. Petersburg Open ATP tennis tournament semi-final match in St.Petersburg. | AP

LONDON: Italian tennis player Fabio Fognini was handed a suspended ban of two Grand Slam tournaments on Wednesday for insulting a chair umpire at the U.S. Open.

The Grand Slam board said Fognini will be suspended from participating in two major tournaments — one of which will be the U.S. Open — if he commits another major offense before the end of 2019.

The board determined Fognini committed "major offenses of aggravated behaviour and conduct contrary to the integrity of the game."

The board also fined Fognini $96,000, which will be reduced to $48,000 if he stays on good behaviour for the next two years. That's in addition to the $24,000 Fognini already paid on-site last month for unsportsmanlike conduct during his first-round loss to Stefano Travaglia.

The board said Fognini "accepts and will not appeal this decision and he has expressed remorse for his admitted misconduct."

Fognini, known as a volatile player, was fined $27,500 by Wimbledon in 2014 for his outbursts during a first-round victory.