US Open player Luisina Giovannini has been fined $20,000 after retiring from a qualifying match on August 24, just 17 minutes into her contest. The 19-year-old Argentinian, ranked world No. 198, informed the chair umpire she could not continue due to an injury during her match against Italy's Lucia Bronzetti, at which point Bronzetti held a 5-0 lead.
The fine represents more than 60 percent of Giovannini's prize money for reaching the last 128 of qualifying, which was $32,000. She will now receive $12,000.
According to the Grand Slam Rulebook, players are expected to compete to a professional standard. Referees can impose fines up to first-round prize money if a player is deemed not to have performed to the required standard, with potential penalties reaching $50,000 if players do not make their best efforts to win.
Another player, British star Arthur Fery, also received a fine of $5,000 from his $140,000 prize money for comments made to the chair umpire during his first-round match. Giovannini's penalty was revealed in the full list of US Open fines released on Monday.