‘She smells really bad’: British tennis player asks umpire to tell opponent to wear deodorant

British tennis star Harriet Dart has found herself at the centre of controversy after a remark she made during her first-round match at the Rouen Open on Tuesday, reported the Mirror.

The 28-year-old, who is currently the British number four, was playing against France's Lois Boisson when she made a comment to the umpire about her opponent's body odour. Dart had just lost the first set 6-0 in under half an hour and was trailing in the second when the incident took place.

During a changeover, she got up from her seat and approached the umpire, saying, "Can you tell her to wear deodorant?" She repeated the request, adding, "Because the smell. Can you tell her to wear deodorant? She smells really bad."

The umpire did not respond to Dart's request, and Boisson appeared unaware of the comment, having returned to the court by that time. The French player later shared clips from the match on her Instagram story but made no mention of the incident.

Backlash

Dart, who lost the second set 6-3, was heavily criticised online for her words, with many calling them "pathetic" and some even demanding disciplinary action from the Women's Tennis Association.

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 yet commented on whether any action will be taken following the incident.