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Hanescu fined $15,000 after spitting incident

LONDON - Romanian Victor Hanescu has been fined $15,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct and tanking by Wimbledon organisers for storming out of his third-round match on Friday after spitting in the direction of the crowd.

By (Reuters)

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Published: Sun 27 Jun 2010, 1:34 PM

Last updated: Mon 6 Apr 2015, 9:04 AM

Hanescu, the 31^st seed, became involved in an altercation with fans cheering for German opponent Daniel Brands, and spat in their direction while trailing 2-0 in the decider.

He was given a code violation for his behaviour and he retired from the match after the following game in which he appeared to deliberately serve a series of double faults.

“Following a review conducted by the Championships’ Referee in association with the Grand Slam Supervisors into the incident on Court 18 yesterday evening, the player Victor Hanescu has been fined $7,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct and a further $7,500 for not using best efforts at the conclusion of the match,” a statement from event referee Andrew Jarrett said.

The fine will be deducted from his prize money of $46,780 and he has 10 days to appeal the decision.

Hanescu, who is no longer involved in any events at the All England Club (AELTC), issued an apology.

“I would like to apologise to the fans, the AELTC and everyone else for my behaviour last night at the end of my match against Daniel Brands,” he said in a statement.

“There were people in the crowd that had been insulting me since the beginning of the match. I was winning, had four match points in the third set but unfortunately I could not close it out.

“Then I got a leg injury at the end of the fourth set. I lost my control briefly in the fifth set after another insult from someone in the crowd. I should have never done that but I am human and I made a mistake.”