Italian Fabio Fognini Booted From U.S. Open For Misogynistic Rant And Abuse

Italian tennis player Fabio Fognini has been provisionally suspended from the U.S. Open after a misogynistic rant during his first round loss. Fognini has been cited before for his conduct, and this announcement Saturday was reportedly the final straw. Fabio Fognini was supposed to play doubles, but this suspension will prevent that. Fabio Fognini, the 22nd seed, swore at a female judge, calling her a “whore” in Italian.

Sadly, rants like Fognini’s aren’t new in tennis, but the ITF has stepped in to punish those who exhibit this kind of behavior. In April, former Romanian tennis player turned Fed Cup captain, Ilie Nastase, was suspended by the ITF for expressing racist views about top women’s tennis player Serena Williams. Nastase was known as “Nasty” Nastase back in his days as a player for his rude behavior which has not quelled with age.

Upon hearing that Serena Williams was pregnant and that the father of the baby, Alexis Ohanian, was of another race, he made a racist joke.

“Let’s see what color it has. Chocolate with milk?”

But before Nastase made the comments about Serena Williams, he had already started harassing the captain of the British team, Anne Keothavongand, and one of her players. But Johanna Konta calling them “f***ing b**tches” and shouting obscenities at the chair umpire. Nastase was said to be angry after being spurned by Keothavongand after he asked her for her hotel room number.

It is being reported that in addition to being booted from the U.S. Open, Fabio Fognini has been fined $24,000 which is nearly half the prize money he received after his first round loss to another Italian player, Stefano Travaglia. Fognini was fined $27,500 at Wimbledon in 2014 for another outburst. Fognini has been banned from participating in a third round doubles match.

Fabio Fognini, 30, lost his temper with Swedish official Louise Engzell, hurling a variety of insults that caused him to be fined three times. An official statement has been released about Fabio Fognini’s current status.

“Pursuant to the Grand Slam Code of Conduct, Article III Q and Article IV A and B, Fabio Fognini is hereby provisionally suspended from further participation in the US Open pending a Final Determination whether a Major Offense has been committed during his first round singles match. The provisional suspension is with immediate effect and, therefore, Mr. Fognini has been withdrawn from his upcoming doubles match.”

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There will allegedly be no further comments about Fabio Fognini until his situation is resolved.

Do you agree that Fabio Fognini should be suspended? Do you think there should be further punishment for multiple infractions?

[Featured Image by Michael Steele/Getty Images]