Serena handed suspended ban and fine

Serena Williams has been hit by a record fine following her outburst at the U.S. Open.

(CNN) -- Serena Williams has handed a three-year suspended ban from the U.S. Open after her verbal tirade at a lineswoman at this year's event.

The incident occurred during her semifinal defeat to Kim Clijsters when Williams was called for a foot fault to give the Belgian mum match point and her profanity-laced tirade resulted in a penalty point that ended the match.

The punishments handed down by the International Tennis Federation's Grand Slam committee could result in a U.S. Open suspension if Williams commits another major violation in any Grand Slam event in 2010 or 2011.

Williams was fined a record $175,000 with the amount to be reduced to $82,500 if she stays on good behavior over two seasons.

The fine amount included $10,000 Williams paid the U.S. Tennis Association in September after the incident, the maximum fine the group had the power to impose.

The biggest prior fine imposed by the committee came when American Jeff Tarango was fined just under $50,000.

Williams initially declined to issue an apology to the line-judge but subsequently issued a contrite statement in which she said: "I need to make it clear to all young people that I handled myself inappropriately on this occasion.

"It's not the way to act -- win or lose, good call or bad call in any sport, in any manner."

Williams was trailing Clijsters 4-6, 5-6 and serving at 15-30 when the baseline judge called a foot-fault on a second serve.

She walked over to the official and waved her racket angrily as she unleashed her tirade at the official, who immediately reported what had been said to the umpire.

Having earlier warned Williams for racket abuse, the official called for tournament referee Brian Earley and a penalty point was imposed which enabled Clijsters to claim the match. Replays indicated that the line judge may have got the foot fault call wrong.