Tennis / UAE tournament fined record $300,000 for Peer exclusion

The Dubai Championships was fined a record $300,000 by the Women's Tennis Association on Friday after top Israeli player Shahar Peer was barred from taking part in this week's event.

The tennis governing body said in a statement the fine was the largest levied against a WTA Tour member, and that Peer would be awarded $44,250 - the average prize money she earned per tournament in 2008. Peer's doubles partner, Germany's Anna Lena Groenefeld, was awarded $7,950 because she could not compete in Dubai as a result of Peer's exclusion.

Venus Williams won the women's title yesterday by defeating unseeded Virginie Razzano 6-4, 6-2 to take her 40th career title. Williams beat her younger sister Serena, 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (3) on Friday to win a slot at the final match.

The opening set was closely contested, with William's serve giving her the edge at the beginning, although that was eventually dissolved by the quality of Razzano's returns.

Once Razzano was able to return the ball, the Frenchwoman rallied on equal terms with her opponent and Williams had to fight off three break points to hold for 3-2. With Williams leading 4-3, Razzano, who was playing in her first final since she defeated Williams in the Japan Open in 2007, received treatment to her lower back. Williams then broke in the final game of the set, earning set point with a fine crosscourt backhand winner before Razzano netted a forehand.

After failing to convert two match points on Razzano's serve at 5-1, Williams double-faulted twice as she dropped the seventh game, but she finally closed out the match on her fourth match point when Razzano netted a forehand.

Stiff sanctions

The WTA was determined to hand out stiff sanctions to the Dubai tournament, despite being assured that all Israeli athletes would now be granted a "special permit" by the UAE government to enter the country if they have qualified for a tournament.

Peer had to forfeit her place in the lucrative $2 million tournament after the United Arab Emirates, which has no diplomatic ties with Israel and routinely denies entry to its citizens, denied her entry into the country.

However, after receiving global condemnation for excluding Peer, the UAE was forced on Thursday to change its policy of barring Israeli athletes from competing in the Gulf state.

"The actions taken today are intended to redress the wrongs suffered by Shahar Peer, who was victimized by an unjust policy of discrimination by the UAE," said WTA chief Larry Scott. "These actions are also intended to send a clear message that our Tour will not tolerate discrimination of any kind, and that we will never allow this situation to happen again in the UAE or elsewhere."

"The fact they fixed their policy going forward doesn't make okay what happened last week," Scott added.

The WTA said the compensation being paid to Peer and Groenefeld would come from the fine levied against the tournament, with the balance "donated to a charity or charities, to be determined by the Tour in consultation with Ms. Peer."

Peer will be allocated 130 ranking points, which the WTA said was equal to the total she earned during the same week in 2008.

For the Dubai Championships to be included in the 2010 calendar, the WTA wants the tournament to post a $2 million financial performance guarantee by July 1, and set down further conditions.

The Tour wants written confirmation that all players who qualify for the tournament will be allowed to compete in Dubai, and that Israeli players should receive proof of an entry permit at least eight weeks before the event.

The WTA also wants a guarantee that Peer will be offered a wildcard to play in the 2010 Dubai tournament, even if she fails to qualify by ranking.

Before the UAE changed its policy regarding Israeli athletes, pressure had been mounting for next week's ATP tournament in Dubai to be canceled if Israeli doubles specialist Andy Ram had also been blocked from competing.

However, on Thursday Ram was given "special permission" to compete, ensuring that the men's event will go ahead as planned.