Melbourne (ANTARA News) - Maria Sharapova was fined 2,000 US dollars after her father coached her from the sidelines during her Australian Open quarter-final win over Anna Chakvetadze, officials said 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.

The 19-year-old said after her match that she had not been paying any attention to her father because she was so intent on beating Chakvetadze.

"I didn`t see anything, I didn`t even look at him," she told AFP.

Officials at the Australian Open may be keeping a close eye on Sharapov this year after he was accused of yelling out to distract Justine Henin-Hardenne during his daughter`s losing semi-final appearance here last year.

At the 2004 WTA Tour Championships in Los Angeles, Sharapov received another warning from the chair umpire for coaching during his daughter`s win over Anastasia Myskina. (*)