MELBOURNE, Jan 25: Maria Sharapova was fined US$2,000 after her father coached her from the sidelines during her Australian Open quarter-final win over Anna Chakvetadze, officials said here on Thursday.

A Women's Tennis Association official said the top seed received the fine after getting a code violation from Portuguese umpire Mariana Alves during Wednesday's match because of her father Yuri Sharapov's behaviour.

Sharapova has repeatedly defended her father’s demonstrative and vocal style as he watches her play and denied he coaches her using hand signals from the players’ box.

The practice is officially banned but Sharapova's opponents have argued Yuri has indulged in it for years.—AFP