Officials accept Sharapova camp’s story

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Zero tolerance apparently doesn’t apply when it’s an inside joke between a father and daughter.

Yuri Sharapov, the father of Maria Sharapova, made what looked like a throat-slitting gesture after her quarterfinal rout of No. 1 Justine Henin on Wednesday at the Australian Open, captured by TV cameras. His action was roundly criticized and Sharapova found herself in the tough spot of answering questions about her father, yet again.

She maintained he was joking, as she had made a reference earlier in the tournament to his hooded attire making him look like an “assassin.”

That, and a subsequent telephone conversation, satisfied WTA Tour officials.

“I have spoken to Maria’s camp and I am satisfied that this was an inside joke between Maria and her father related to his sweatshirt,” Larry Scott, the tour’s chief executive, said in a statement.

The definition of “camp” was unclear as to whether Scott spoke to Yuri, Maria or a management representative.

The background does explain the gesture but the reviews were unforgiving.

Former No. 1 Tracy Austin, doing commentary for Australian TV, wrote on Foxsports.com that it was “a highly inappropriate gesture and it was totally unnecessary. It’s bad manners and has no place in any sport.”

She added: “What’s amazing to me is that Yuri knows the cameras are constantly on him and still showed no concern that the aggressive gesture would be broadcast worldwide.”

The Herald Sun called Sharapov “a clown,” and Sydney Morning Herald columnist Richard Hinds wrote that the gesture was more fitting of professional wrestling, not tennis.

“This was one of those clear-cut incidents when there was no alternative but to act,” Hinds wrote. “And, as a bonus, by punishing Sharapov the authorities would send a message to those who believe women’s tennis is run by star-struck sycophants who tread on egg shells around the players and their families in the knowledge they are more dispensable than the divas and prima donnas upon whom their livelihood depends.”

Yank watch

Rugged night for what was left of the triumphant U.S. Davis Cup team on Wednesday. James Blake had inspired moments and stretches against No. 1 Roger Federer but the result was still the same. Federer beat No. 12 Blake, 7-5, 7-6 (5), 6-4, in the quarterfinals. Blake is 0-8 against Federer and has won one set.

Blake, who will next play in the first round of Davis Cup at Austria, joked about how this ruined his arrangement with U.S. Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe.

“The deal with Patrick was if I won this tournament I could go to the Super Bowl. No more,” Blake said.

Following his loss was the departure of two-time men’s doubles defending champions Bob and Mike Bryan of Camarillo. No. 6 Mahesh Bhupathi of India and Mark Knowles of the Bahamas defeated the No. 1 Bryans, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (5), in the quarterfinals.

Quote of the day

Blake on Federer: “A lot of the veterans or retired players are kind of shocked that he is as nice as he is. Honestly, I saw him at dinner last night. We said, ‘How’s it going?’ The waitress came over and said, ‘Do we need to move you guys apart?’ No, we don’t care. We can be friendly.

“So he doesn’t try to make himself somewhat unknown or mysterious to the rest of us. He seems to be like one of the guys in the locker room. Then you go out there and he beats the . . . out of you. You come back in the locker room and he’s one of the guys.”

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lisa.dillman@latimes.com

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ON THE WEB

Men’s semifinals: Rafael Nadal played unseeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, above, of France earlier today. Nadal beat Tsonga in their only meeting, at last year’s U.S. Open, in straight sets. In the other men’s semifinal, Roger Federer meets Novak Djokovic later today.

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