Bernard Tomic's foul-mouthed spray at a US Open heckler has drawn the heaviest sanction of the tournament to date.
Tomic has been fined $US10,000 ($A13,300) for telling the fan - among other things - to "suck my balls" during his first-round loss to Bosnian Damir Dzumhur on Tuesday.
Tomic's camp insist their charge was severely provoked, but ITF officials deemed the Australian's expletive-laden rant as unsportsmanlike conduct.
The punishment is more than triple that of any of the other 15 fines issued over the first four days of the Open in New York.
But it is not the biggest fine at a grand slam in 2016.
Brit Heather Watson was slapped with a $US12,000 ($A16,000) fine for jamming her racquet into London's hallowed grass courts during a second-round loss at Wimbledon.
Like Tomic, world No.1 Serena Williams had to fork out $US10,000, her fine came for destroying her racquet at the All England Club, the same amount as Viktor Troicki was fined for branding Italian official Damiano Torella as "horrible" and "the worst umpire in the world" at Wimbledon.
Tomic, whose team said he grew tired of his taunter calling him a "pussy" and making sledges about his girlfriend, will try to put the incident behind him to focus on Davis Cup.
In addition to his image and bank account taking more hits in New York, the 23-year-old could also lose his place in the world's top 20 after the Open.
He admits he needs some time out after an otherwise productive northern summer before heading to Sydney for Australia's Davis Cup playoff with Slovakia from September 16-18.
"I'm just tired lately, last month, two, especially after Wimbledon," Tomic said.
"I went to Washington straightaway. Was playing pretty okay. Then Toronto. Was flying a lot.
"It's tough. Tennis, you have to be really fit and stuff. I'm one of those guys if I'm 100 per cent and fit and ready for the tournament, I play very good tennis.
"But now I think definitely I'll go back to Davis Cup. I always play Davis Cup. I'm there 100 per cent.
"It's a little bit further away - we have maybe two weeks. Maybe I'll relax now a little bit."
