Maria Sharapova was fined $2 000 after her father coached her from the sidelines during her Australian Open quarterfinal win over Anna Chakvetadze, officials said on Thursday.
A Women’s Tennis Association official said the top seed received the fine after getting a code violation from Portuguese umpire Mariana Alves during Wednesday’s match because of her father Yuri Sharapov’s behaviour.
Sharapova has repeatedly defended her father’s demonstrative and vocal style as he watches her play and denied he coaches her using hand signals from the players’ box.
The practice is officially banned but Sharapova’s opponents have argued Yuri has indulged in it for years.
The 19-year-old said after her match that she had not been paying any attention to her father because she was so intent on beating Chakvetadze.
”I didn’t see anything, I didn’t even look at him,” she said.
Officials at the Australian Open may be keeping a close eye on Sharapov this year after he was accused of yelling out to distract Justine Henin-Hardenne during his daughter’s losing semifinal appearance here last year.
At the 2004 WTA Tour Championships in Los Angeles, Sharapov received another warning from the chair umpire for coaching during his daughter’s win over Anastasia Myskina. – Sapa-AFP