Fognini found guilty; Kyrgios fined

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

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

The board determined Fognini committed "major offenses of aggravated behavior 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 behavior 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.

Kyrgios fined

Temperamental Australian Nick Kyrgios was fined $10,000 and lost another $21,085 in prize money Wednesday after storming off midway through his first-round match at the Shanghai Masters.

The ATP said it had fined Kyrgios for unsportsmanlike conduct and he will not collect his prize money because he failed to get signed off for a medical after retiring from his match against Steve Johnson.

Kyrgios's time at the Shanghai Masters is over after he also pulled out of his scheduled doubles match with Frenchman Lucas Pouille Wednesday.

He apologized after walking off court Tuesday, having lost the first-set tie break.

In a statement posted on Twitter a few hours later he said that he had a "stomach bug" and had hurt his shoulder.

It was a nasty case of deja vu for the world No. 21 — a year ago he argued with spectators and was accused of giving away points in a defeat in Shanghai.

The talented but fiery Kyrgios was consequently fined and suspended.

His immediate future in tennis is again under threat following Tuesday's incident, when he hastily exited the court with jeers and boos ringing in his ears.

It came after he complained about the umpire and spectators in the arena, and was docked a point penalty for the second match running because of his conduct, which included blasting a ball out of the court in a flash of rage.

"What's happening here?" he asked, seemingly irritated by spectators moving around between points in the tie break.

"Exactly why I shouldn't come here," he muttered, later adding: "Sick of this place." — Agencies