Tennis player Mike Bryan is fined $10,000 for turning his racket into a ‘gun’ and ‘shooting’ a line judge at the US Open after seven die in Texas massacre

  • Mike Bryan pretended to use his racket as a gun in a gesture towards a line judge
  • He has now been fined $10,000 (£8,200) for the incident at the US Open
  • He and playing partner Bob Bryan went on to win the second-round match 

Mike Bryan has been fined $10,000 (£8,200) for a gesture he made towards a line judge during the US Open on Sunday.

After an incorrect call, Bryan took his racket, held it like a gun, and took aim at the line judge before pretending to fire off a shot.

He was fined for unsportsmanlike conduct, with the incident coming just a day after yet another high profile mass shooting in the United States. 

Mike Bryan successfully challenged a line call during a US Open doubles match on Sunday

He then gestured to the line judge, pretending to use his racket as a rifle

During the second set of the match, where Bryan and playing partner Bob Bryan took on Federico Delbonis and Roberto Carballes Baena, the ball was called in after landing close to the baseline.

Mike Bryan challenged, and the ball was shown to be out. 

After making the gesture, umpire Mariana Alves called a code violation, explaining herself when a confused Bryan asked what he had done wrong.

Mike Bryan has won the men’s doubles at the US Open on six occasions, and spoke out about the incident afterwards.

He has now been fined $10,000 (£8,200) for the gesture, and has since apologised

‘I apologiSe for any offense I may have caused. We won the point and the gesture was meant to be playful. But given the recent news and political climate I understand how my gesture could be viewed as insensitive. I promise that I will never do anything like this again.’ 

The £8,200 fine is the largest punishment to be handed out at the US Open so far this year. 

The Bryans went on to win their second round match 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.  




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