Serena Williams fined £13,150 following outburst in US Open final

The American received three code violations during Saturday's final

Serena Williams has been fined $17,000 (£13,150) after receiving three code violations during Saturday’s US Open final, in which the American accused the match umpire of lying and tearfully remonstrated with officials before going on to lose in straight sets to Naomi Osaka.

Williams was furious when she was given a coaching violation early in the second set after a hand gesture from her coach Patrick Mouratoglou, before telling umpire Carlos Ramos she would rather lose than cheat.

She was then docked a point for a second violation when she smashed her racket. Continuing her argument with Ramos at the next change of ends, Williams accused him of being a thief for taking a point away from her.

Ramos gave her a third violation, which resulted in a game penalty, putting Osaka 5-3 ahead. A tearful Williams argued her case with tournament officials but, although she held serve in the next game, Osaka served out the victory 6-2 6-4.

The tournament referee's office fined the former world No 1 $10,000 (£7,740) for the "verbal abuse" of Ramos, $4,000 (£3,095) for being warned for coaching and $3,000 (£2,320) for smashing her racket.

Asked in her press conference what she would have done differently in hindsight, Williams became increasingly emotional as she said: "I can't sit here and say I wouldn't say he's a thief, because I thought he took a game from me.

"But I've seen other men call other umpires several things. I'm here fighting for women's rights and for women's equality and for all kinds of stuff. For me to say 'thief' and for him to take a game, it made me feel like it was a sexist remark. He's never taken a game from a man because they said 'thief'. It blows my mind.

"I just feel like the fact that I have to go through this is just an example for the next person that has emotions, and that wants to express themselves, and wants to be a strong woman.

"They're going to be allowed to do that because of today. Maybe it didn't work out for me, but it's going to work out for the next person."

Mouratoglou admitted to ESPN that he was sending Williams a signal, but claimed every coach does it.

Responding, Williams said: "I literally just heard that too. I just texted Patrick because we don't have signals, we've never discussed signals. I want to clarify myself what he's talking about. I wasn't being coached."

Several former players and pundits have since come out in support of Williams following Saturday night's extraordinary final.

Sue Barker called for there to be a "look at the rules", but admitted both Williams and Ramos "have a point", while Billie Jean King said the American had called out a "double standard".

She tweeted: "Several things went very wrong during the Us Open Women's Finals today. Coaching on every point should be allowed in tennis. It isn't, and as a result, a player was penalized for the actions of her coach. This should not happen.

"When a woman is emotional, she's "hysterical" and she's penalized for it. When a man does the same, he's "outspoken" & and there are no repercussions."