French tennis player Lois Boisson has responded after her opponent, Harriet Dart, suggested she needed to wear deodorant during their match.
During a first-round match at the Open de Rouen, Harriet Dart was overheard on microphones complaining about Lois Boisson`s body odor during their match, which Boisson won 6-0, 6-3.
Dart, 28, reportedly told the chair umpire during a changeover, “Can you tell her to wear deodorant?” She repeated her request, adding, “Because the smell… Can you tell her to wear deodorant? She smells really bad.”
These comments could potentially lead to sanctions from the WTA, the governing body for women`s tennis, for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Despite the unpleasant incident, Boisson seemed to take it in stride. She posted a humorous image on Instagram referencing Dove deodorant, suggesting a collaboration with the brand.
Boisson, a wildcard entrant, was making her first WTA Tour appearance of the season, having recently recovered from an injury.
Dart, currently ranked 110th in the world, was playing only her second clay-court match of the season.
Following the incident, Dart issued an apology on Instagram, stating: “I want to apologize for what I said on court today. It was a comment made in the heat of the moment, and I sincerely regret it.”
She continued, “That`s not how I want to behave, and I take full responsibility. I have a lot of respect for Lois and her performance today. I will learn from this and move forward.”
