US tennis player Tatishvili wins appeal of French Open fine

NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. tennis player Anna Tatishvili will be awarded her French Open prize money.

The Grand Slam Board reversed its decision to fine her under its first-round performance rule. Tatishvili lost to 29th-seeded Maria Sakkari of Greece 6-0, 6-1 in Paris. Her earnings of about $50,000 were docked under the rule allowing fines of first-round checks if players do not "perform to a professional standard."

The rule, implemented in 2018, aims to deter injured players from entering tournaments to collect their full prize money and then retiring during their first match.

The board acknowledged this was the first fine in which a player completed the match. In the ruling disclosed Friday by Tatishvili's representatives, the board said it reviewed the match, noted Sakkari's comments and felt Tatishvili competed "professionally from the first to the very last point."

Tatishvili was once ranked as high as No. 50. She has had ankle operations and the French Open was her first tournament since October 2017.

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