Shooting Gesture: Mike Bryan gets $10,000 hammer at US Open
Tennis Doubles Major Mike Bryan had a painful Sunday at the US Open after he was fined $10,000 for an angry gesture taking too far.
The 6-time US Open doubles champion reacted angrily towards a line judge after what he considered an incorrect call. To drive home his anger, the 41 year old turned his racket, held it like a gun, and took aim at the line judge pretending to fire off a shot.
The display was however not considered funny as he fined by Authorities for unsportsmanlike conduct, especially coming just a day after yet another high profile mass shooting in Texas.
During the second set of the match, where Bryan and playing partner Bob Bryan took on Federico Delbonis and Roberto Carballes Baena, the ball was called in after landing close to the baseline. Mike Bryan challenged, and the ball was shown to be out.
After making the gesture, umpire Mariana Alves called a code violation, explaining herself when a confused Bryan asked what he had done wrong, and spoke out about the incident afterwards.
‘I apologise for any offense I may have caused. We won the point and the gesture was meant to be playful. But given the recent news and political climate I understand how my gesture could be viewed as insensitive. I promise that I will never do anything like this again.’
The £8,200 fine is the largest punishment to be handed out at the US Open so far this year.
The Bryans went on to win their second round match 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 and will next battle the duo of Jack Sock and Jackson Withrow.
Should the Bryan brothers make it all the way to the final and emerge champions they would pocket $740,000.00 less $10,000.