Barbora Krejcikova furious after 'unprofessional' comment about her physical appearance from tennis insider, demands more respect from sports media
Barbora Krejcikova has addressed the recent controversial comments about her physical appearance from tennis journalist Jon Wertheim, slamming him for the lack of 'professionalism' he displayed. The two-time Grand Slam champion believes that this has become commonplace in the sports world, and urged journalists to be more respectful of athletes in the future.
Krejcikova was recently in action at the WTA Finals, where she reached the semifinals before bowing out. During an appearance on the Tennis Channel discussing the event, Wertheim made a snarky comment on the Czech star's forehead that left many tennis fans fuming on social media.
"What do you think I am? Barbora Krejcikova. Look at the forehead when Krejcikova and Zheng take the court. Eighthead," Wertheim had said.
Krejcikova, who is more active on social media than most players, took note of the comments and responded to the remark with a strong message to the journalist. The former World No. 2 emphasized that, first and foremost, she was disappointed to hear such commentary in the women's tennis world.
"You might have heard about the recent comments made on Tennis Channel during the WTA Finals coverage that focused on my appearance rather than my performance. As an athlete who has dedicated herself to this sport, it was disappointing to see this type of unprofessional commentary," Barbora Krejcikova wrote on Twitter (now X).
Krejcikova believed that she had been silent about such issues in the past, and did not want to do the same once again. In the same breath, she called on journalists to be more professional in order to avoid such tasteless controversies.
"This isn’t the first time something like this is happening in sports world. I’ve often chosen not to speak up, but I believe it’s time to address the need for respect and professionalism in sports media," she added.
"These moments distract from the true essence of sport" - Barbora Krejcikova
Barbora Krejcikova thought that such controversies did a disservice to tennis and sports by distracting fans from what was happening on the court.
An avid lover of tennis, she wanted the game to be represented in a better way on the global stage, a narrative she felt was not possible if journalists were making such comments in the public eye.
"These moments distract from the true essence of sport and the dedication all athletes bring to the field. I love tennis deeply, and I want to see it represented in a way that honors the commitment we make to compete at this level," Krejcikova said.
Krejcikova, thanks to the run to the semifinals of the WTA Finals, will end the year as the World No. 10, with one Grand Slam under her belt for the year (at Wimbledon).