Former top 10 player Carla Suarez Navarro has landed herself in hot water following her first round match at the US Open.
Suarez Navarro, who was seeded 28th in the women’s draw, retired while trailing 6-2 to Hungary’s Timea Babos. Citing a back injury as the reason for her retirement. However, officials at the New York grand slam have concluded that the Spaniard didn’t put her maximum effort into the match. Issuing her with a $40,000 fine for violating the First Round Performance Rule. Suarez Navarro was originally awarded $58,000 in prize money following her first round loss at the tournament.
“After reviewing reports from Medical Staff and Grand Slam Supervisors, the determination was made that Carla Suarez Navarro did not perform to the required professional standards,” tournament referee Soeren Friemel said in a statement published by Reuters News Agency.
In recent years, the governing bodies of tennis have tightened up their rules in order to prevent players from deliberately playing at grand slams whilst injured or ill in order to collect the prize money. Under the regulations, Lucky losers and players who withdraw prior to the tournament split the first round prize money.
However, 30-year-old Suarez Navarro has denied any wrongdoing. On Thursday she published a tweet in which she said she made her ‘best effort’ to play. Although she made no specific mention about the fine she received.
“Not the easiest weeks for me dealing with some back pain. We made our best effort to be ready and play our heart out, but it got really worse during my opening match in New York. Sad to leave this way from events I deeply appreciate.”She wrote.
It is not a first time a player has been hit with a fine for a lack of effort in accordance with the Firs Round Rule. During the French Open Anna Tatishvilli was originally deducted all of her first round prize money. However, that penalty was later overturned after she made an appeal to the Grand Slam Board. Who concluded that she played “professionally from the first to the very last point.”
Suarez Navarro has played 44 grand slam tournaments so far in her career and has won 85 out of 129 matches played.
