NEW YORK -- Lleyton Hewitt's $103,000 fine for refusing to do a required TV interview probably will be reduced on appeal.

Calling that amount unreasonable, ATP Tour chief Mark Miles said Wednesday at the U.S. Open that he expects the panel of former players that considers such appeals to reduce Hewitt's penalty, perhaps to as low as $10,000-$20,000.

Hewitt was docked half his prize money at the Tennis Masters Series event in Cincinnati this month because he didn't do an interview with ESPN, which televised the tournament. He reached the final there.

"It wasn't a travesty and it wasn't particularly egregious. It's gotten overly complicated,'' Miles said. "He was expected to do an interview that would have taken 10 or 15 minutes, probably, so the host broadcaster would have it in the can for their coverage of his match. It didn't get done. In my mind that's not a $100,000 problem.

"But from all I understand, it was clear to his advisers that he was expected to do it.''

Hewitt, whose appeal will be heard after the U.S. Open ends Sept. 8, lashed out at the tour Tuesday, saying the episode was handled poorly.

"I think a lot of people lied. I think that's a known fact,'' the reigning U.S. Open and Wimbledon champion said. "I've got no doubt that I'm going to win. There won't be a fine at all.''

Players are required to do interviews as part of the ATP's program to promote the tour, and the tour's rules call for a penalty of $20,000 or half of the player's prize money at the event, whichever is greater.

In Cincinnati, Hewitt turned down ESPN's requests in the days before his opening match. When he learned of the fine, he threatened not to play.

"It was all one-sided coming out. It was just absolute lies coming out,'' he said Tuesday, referring to the tour's account of what happened. "I felt the ATP was sort of just riding the wave. There were so many guys just making stories up in there, just to throw it in, I guess to save their job.''

Miles said those words don't violate the tour's "rules about statements damaging to the game.''

"I'd rather it wasn't said,'' Miles said. "But we've been sued before and we've been condemned before. That comes with the territory.''