Apr 16, 2025 02:16 PM IST
British tennis participant Harriet Dart confronted backlash for telling an umpire her opponent “smells really bad” and has since issued an apology.
British tennis star Harriet Dart has discovered herself on the centre of controversy after a comment she made throughout her first-round match on the Rouen Open on Tuesday, reported the Mirror.
Harriet Dart posted a public apology.(Instagram/@Harrietdart)
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The 28-year-old, who’s presently the British quantity 4, was taking part in in opposition to France’s Lois Boisson when she made a remark to the umpire about her opponent’s physique odour. Dart had simply misplaced the primary set 6-0 in underneath half an hour and was trailing within the second when the incident happened.
Throughout a changeover, she bought up from her seat and approached the umpire, saying, “Can you tell her to wear deodorant?” She repeated the request, including, “Because the smell. Can you tell her to wear deodorant? She smells really bad.”
The umpire didn’t reply to Dart’s request, and Boisson appeared unaware of the remark, having returned to the court docket by that point. The French participant later shared clips from the match on her Instagram story however made no point out of the incident.
Backlash
Dart, who misplaced the second set 6-3, was closely criticised on-line for her phrases, with many calling them “pathetic” and a few even demanding disciplinary motion from the Girls’s Tennis Affiliation.
Later, Dart posted a public apology on Instagram, saying, “Hey everyone, I want to apologise for what I said on court today. It was a heat-of-the-moment comment that I truly regret. That’s not how I want to carry myself and I take full responsibility. I have a lot of respect for Lois and how she competed today. I’ll learn from this and move forward.”
The WTA has not but commented on whether or not any motion will likely be taken following the incident.
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Information / Trending / ‘She smells really bad’: British tennis participant asks umpire to inform opponent to put on deodorant
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