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Djokovic dodges punishment for touching chair umpire

Cape Town - Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic has escaped sanction after tapping chair umpire Damien Dumusois' foot in the final of this year's first Major.

Djokovic was furious when Dumusois gave him two time infringements, resulting in code violation on the second.

It angered Djokovic, who touched the umpire’s foot at the changeover and criticised him, telling him: “Great job, especially in the second one [time violation call]. You made yourself famous. Well done.”

It did’t appear to bother Dumusois, though, and Tennis Australia have no confirmed the world number one will not be made to pay any fines.

Djokovic was, to his credit, quick to apologise after the match.

“Of course, I’m not happy I touched the chair umpire,” he told reporters.

“I’m sorry if I offended him or anyone else, but in the heat of a battle, some decisions that he makes or something that happens distracts you and sets you off the balance a little bit.” Not everyone was so fortunate, though, with $86,083.95 worth of fines dished out by officials.

Federer was fined for his on-court audible obscenity in his match against Tennys Sandgren.

Nick Kyrgios, of course, copped a fine for asking the umpire ‘are you stupid?’ when he was given a time fault due to refusing to give a ball kid a bloodied towel.

Alexander Zverev, Fabio Fognini, and Benoit Paire also had to get their chequebooks out.

Ony two women, Alize Cornet and Simona Halep, were fined.

- TEAMTalk

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