The ITF has fined Brazilian Guilherme Clezar $1,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct for a gesture he made during his nation’s Davis Cup tie against host Japan.
“The ITF condemns all forms of offensive behavior,” the International Tennis Federation said in a statement posted on the Davis Cup website.
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The 24-year-old Clezar successfully challenged a call in his straight-sets loss to Yuichi Sugita in the opening match of the Davis Cup World Group playoff in Osaka.
Frustrated by the initial incorrect line call, Clezar made an apparent slit-eyed gesture that was captured by court-side cameras.
Clezar apologized for the incident, but denied his action was intended as racist gesture.
“I want to underline that I never had the slightest intention to be aggressive, racist, prejudiced or anything of the type against Asian people,” Clezar said in a statement posted on the Brazilian Tennis Federation Facebook page. “We have been extremely well received here and I have an excellent relationship with all tennis players from many different countries on the circuit.”