WIMBLEDON, England (AP)—Victor Hanescu was fined $15,000 by Wimbledon officials Saturday after spitting at hecklers in his third-round match.
The Romanian, who later apologized, was fined $7,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct after swearing and spitting in the direction of hecklers in the crowd on Court 18. He was fined the same amount for not using "best efforts" at the conclusion of Friday's match against Germany's Daniel Brands.
"There were people in the crowd that had been insulting me since the beginning of the match," Hanescu said in a statement issued by the ATP. "I lost my control briefly in the fifth set after another insult from someone in the crowd. I should have never done that, but I am human and I made a mistake."
Hanescu's fine is deducted from the $47,071 he earned for reaching the third round.
The Romanian foot-faulted and served a series of double faults in the final game of his match before retiring while trailing 0-3 in the fifth set.
He was issued a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct earlier in the set.
Police arrested four youths at Court 18 about six minutes after the match finished, but the tournament could not verify whether the episodes were related.
Hanescu has 10 days to appeal. He was not entered in any of the Wimbledon doubles events.