Us Open, the Luisina Giovannini case: 17 minutes on court and a fine of 20 thousand dollars

Seventeen minutes on the pitch, just enough time to concede a 5-0 partial, before raising the white flag. The first round match of the qualifiers of the last US Open between the 19-year-old Argentine Luisina Giovannini and the Italian Lucia Bronzetti turned into a political case that put the spotlight back on ethical issues in professional tennis. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has in fact inflicted a very heavy financial penalty on the young South American tennis player for violating the rule on maximum commitment.

The case and the sanction imposed on Argentina

According to the organization of the New York Slam, the Argentine player was perfectly aware of her precarious physical condition even before she entered the court. His presence was therefore judged as a purely formal act, aimed exclusively at collecting the "attendance fee" expected for the first round, equal to approximately 32 thousand dollars (approximately 27,500 euros). Believing that the minimum competitive standards required for a Grand Slam tournament were not respected, the American officials applied a firm line. The USTA's ax fell on Giovannini's prize money with a fine of 20 thousand dollars (just over 17 thousand euros), effectively reducing 60% of the original check. Net of taxes and tax withholdings, the tennis player's actual earnings were almost eliminated, transforming the American trip into a completely balanced budget.

The plague of tactical retreats

The measure against Argentina is part of a broader and constant battle that the organizers of the Majors are waging against the so-called "tactical withdrawals". In recent years, the exponential growth of prize money in the first rounds has pushed many second-tier athletes - squeezed by the grip of increasingly large travel expenses - to take to the field even in precarious physical conditions in order to self-finance the season. The USTA's decision sends a categorical message to the entire circuit: access to the rich prizes of the Slams cannot ignore respect for the public, the opponents and the dignity of the sport.