USA TODAY Sports

Chair umpire Carlos Ramos, branded a villain by many tennis fans after he penalized Serena Williams in Saturday's US Open final, has the backing of international tennis' governing body.

The International Tennis Federation issued a statement Monday saying Ramos' decisions "were in accordance with the relevant rules."

Williams was cited by Ramos for three code violations during her 6-2, 6-4 loss to Naomi Osaka. First, for getting a signal from her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou; second, for breaking her racket; and third, for berating Ramos, calling him a thief, which cost her a game.

The ITF statement comes on the heels of a signal of support from the tournament, which fined Williams $10,000 for “verbal abuse,” $4,000 for being warned for coaching and $3,000 for breaking her racket.

Some critics accused Ramos of sexism, suggesting he would not have handed out those code violations to a man. The ITF, in its statement, dismissed that.

"Carlos Ramos is one of the most experienced and respected umpires in tennis. Mr. Ramos' decisions were in accordance with the relevant rules and were reaffirmed by the US Open's decision to fine Serena Williams for the three offenses.

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"It is understandable that this high profile and regrettable incident should provoke debate. At the same time, it is important to remember that Mr. Ramos undertook his duties as an official according to the relevant rule book and acted at all times with professionalism and integrity."