Serena Williams was fined a record $82,500 for her US Open tirade and could be suspended from that tournament if she has another "major offence" at any Grand Slam in the next two years.

Grand Slam administrator Bill Babcock's ruling was released yesterday and he said Williams faces a "probationary period" at tennis' four major championships in 2010 and 2011. If she has another "major offence" at a Grand Slam tournament in that time, the fine would increase to $175,000 and she would be barred from the following US Open.

"But if she does not have another offence in the next two years, the suspension is lifted," Babcock said in a telephone interview from London.

He said Williams is handing over $82,500 right now, already nearly double the previous highest fine for a Grand Slam offence - about the $48,000 Jeff Tarango was docked in the 1990s.

Williams lashed out at a lineswoman after a foot-fault call at the end of her semi-final loss to eventual champion Kim Clijsters at the US Open in September.

"I am thankful that we now have closure on the incident and we can all move forward," Williams said in a statement released yesterday by her publicist. "I am back in training in preparation for next season and I continue to be grateful for all of the support from my fans and the tennis community."

Record prize money

She earned $350,000 by reaching the US Open singles semi-finals, part of her more than $6.5 million in prize money in 2009, a single-season record for women's tennis.

Her career prize money tops $28 million.

Babcock concluded that Williams violated the "major offence" rule for "aggravated behaviour". The Grand Slam committee - with one representative from each of the sport's four major championships - approved his decision Saturday.