The ATP Tour fined French professional tennis player Hugo Gaston some $155,000, more than his total prize money in 2023, for his fourth offense for unsportsmanlike conduct, which he committed during the Madrid Open last month.
The tour announced the fine Monday after the April 28 incident in which Gaston pulled a tennis ball from his pocket in an attempt to get the chair umpire to cancel a point during his second-round loss to Croatian tennis player Borna Coric.
Hugo Gaston of France reacts during the third round match against Holger Rune of Denmark at the French Open on May 28, 2022 in Paris. (Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)
Video of the incident began circulating on social media Tuesday and shows Gaston taking the ball out of his pocket and throwing it onto the court.
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He can then be seen pointing at it while trying to get the chair umpire’s attention.
The massive fine far exceeds Gaston’s pending in 2023. According to the ATP Tour website, the 22-year-old is 2-5 this season and has earned just over $121,000 in prize money. According to the tour, the fines for unsportsmanlike conduct «increase by 100% with each consecutive offense in the same season.»
Hugo Gaston of France reacts during his match against Dane Sweeny of Australia during the Danube Upper Austria Open on May 11, 2023 in Mauthausen, Austria. (Guenther Iby/SEPA.Media/Getty Images)
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His career earnings exceed $1.7 million in singles and doubles tournaments.
The Tour said Gaston’s appeal of the suspension could result in his fine being halved if he meets certain criteria, such as no further offenses during his one-year probationary period.
Hugo Gaston of France plays a shot against Dane Sweeny of Australia during the Danube Upper Austria Open on May 11, 2023 in Mauthausen, Austria. (Guenther Iby/SEPA.Media/Getty Images)
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Gaston’s highest world ranking was No. 58, which resulted from a second-round appearance at Wimbledon.
Currently ranked 108th, Gaston received a wild card invite to the open French by the French Tennis Federation last week.
Associated Press contributed to this report.