‘She smells really bad’: Athlete slammed after bizarre mid-match remark sparks outrage
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Tensions can run high in professional sport, where emotions often spill over in unexpected ways—both on and off the court.
A recent tennis match in France took an unusual turn when a mid-game exchange sparked a wave of controversy and public reaction.
What began as a standard tournament appearance quickly snowballed into a headline-making incident that left one player issuing a public apology and another seizing the moment with a cheeky response.
British tennis player Harriet Dart found herself in hot water after a controversial moment during her match at the Open de Rouen in France.
Dart, ranked world No.110, was trailing 21-year-old French player Lois Boisson when she made an offhand remark during a second-set changeover that sparked widespread criticism.
After being passed by Boisson near the umpire's chair, Dart approached the official and said: ‘Can you tell her to wear deodorant?’
She added: ‘She smells really bad.’
The moment was caught on video and soon spread across social media, drawing backlash from fans and commentators alike.
Source: Youtube/1PercentInternational
It remained unclear whether Boisson overheard the comment or was later informed by the umpire.
Regardless, she let her racquet do the talking, defeating Dart 6-0 6-3 and notching her first top-level WTA Tour win.
Boisson, ranked No.303, had only recently returned to competition following a long injury break due to a torn ACL.
She later joined in on the online reaction with a cheeky social media post featuring a photo of herself holding a stick of deodorant.
‘@Dove apparently need a collab,’ she captioned it with two laughing emojis.
Boisson had reached a career-high ranking of No.152 last year after securing four clay-court titles at lower-tier events.
She had been in line for a wildcard entry into the French Open before her injury sidelined her for nine months.
As the video continued circulating, Dart addressed the incident with an apology shared on her own social media account.
‘Hey everyone, I want to apologise what I said on court today,’ she wrote.
‘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.’
Social media users and tennis commentators were quick to weigh in on the drama.
Tennis podcaster Chris Goldsmith said: ‘Not sure she is going to get much sympathy on this one......’
Canadian journalist Stephanie Myles commented: ‘Must have been the wafting stink that had Dart go down ... love and three ... to a French player ranked No.303 who’s just coming back from a nine-month injury layoffs. The Dartster is going to have trouble living THIS one down.’
In a previous story, we saw how a sports figure's words ignited a fiery backlash from fans.
Now, another controversial moment has left listeners reeling, this time on live radio.
Curious about what sparked the outrage? Keep reading to find out.
With emotions running high and sportsmanship under the spotlight, do you think Dart’s apology was enough to make amends? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
A recent tennis match in France took an unusual turn when a mid-game exchange sparked a wave of controversy and public reaction.
What began as a standard tournament appearance quickly snowballed into a headline-making incident that left one player issuing a public apology and another seizing the moment with a cheeky response.
British tennis player Harriet Dart found herself in hot water after a controversial moment during her match at the Open de Rouen in France.
Dart, ranked world No.110, was trailing 21-year-old French player Lois Boisson when she made an offhand remark during a second-set changeover that sparked widespread criticism.
After being passed by Boisson near the umpire's chair, Dart approached the official and said: ‘Can you tell her to wear deodorant?’
She added: ‘She smells really bad.’
The moment was caught on video and soon spread across social media, drawing backlash from fans and commentators alike.
Source: Youtube/1PercentInternational
It remained unclear whether Boisson overheard the comment or was later informed by the umpire.
Regardless, she let her racquet do the talking, defeating Dart 6-0 6-3 and notching her first top-level WTA Tour win.
Boisson, ranked No.303, had only recently returned to competition following a long injury break due to a torn ACL.
She later joined in on the online reaction with a cheeky social media post featuring a photo of herself holding a stick of deodorant.
‘@Dove apparently need a collab,’ she captioned it with two laughing emojis.
Boisson had reached a career-high ranking of No.152 last year after securing four clay-court titles at lower-tier events.
She had been in line for a wildcard entry into the French Open before her injury sidelined her for nine months.
As the video continued circulating, Dart addressed the incident with an apology shared on her own social media account.
‘Hey everyone, I want to apologise what I said on court today,’ she wrote.
‘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.’
Social media users and tennis commentators were quick to weigh in on the drama.
Tennis podcaster Chris Goldsmith said: ‘Not sure she is going to get much sympathy on this one......’
Canadian journalist Stephanie Myles commented: ‘Must have been the wafting stink that had Dart go down ... love and three ... to a French player ranked No.303 who’s just coming back from a nine-month injury layoffs. The Dartster is going to have trouble living THIS one down.’
In a previous story, we saw how a sports figure's words ignited a fiery backlash from fans.
Now, another controversial moment has left listeners reeling, this time on live radio.
Curious about what sparked the outrage? Keep reading to find out.
With emotions running high and sportsmanship under the spotlight, do you think Dart’s apology was enough to make amends? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
