British tennis player Harriet Dart has publicly apologized for an inappropriate comment made during her first-round defeat at the Rouen Open.
Dart, ranked No. 62 in the world, was beaten 6-0, 6-3 by France’s Lois Boisson in a match that saw her struggle from the start. The opening set lasted just 28 minutes, with Dart unable to convert any of her six break points throughout the match.
The 28-year-old sparked controversy during a second-set changeover when she was heard on the broadcast asking the umpire: “Can you ask her to put on deodorant? She smells really bad.”
After the match, Dart addressed the incident on Instagram, writing:
“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.”
Boisson, 21, did not appear to hear the comment during the match. However, she later responded with humor on Instagram, posting a lighthearted image of herself holding a deodorant can and tagging Dove with the message: “Apparently need a collab.”
BBC Sport has contacted the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for comment on the incident.
The result marks a significant upset, with Boisson—ranked 303rd in the world and playing her first WTA Tour match of the season after injury—securing a comfortable win. Dart, meanwhile, continues to search for form on clay, having also lost in the first round of the Charleston Open earlier this month.
The British No. 4 now looks to regroup ahead of next month’s French Open.
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