Nick Kyrgios has reacted to American tennis journalist Jon Wertheim’s disparaging remarks about Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova's appearance.
Wertheim faced significant backlash after making these comments during The Tennis Channel’s preview for the WTA Finals matchup between Krejcikova and Zheng Qinwen. Unbeknownst to him, his remarks were broadcast live, where he stated, “Who do you think I am? Barbora Krejcikova? Just look at the forehead when Krejcikova and Zheng take the court. Eighthead.”
Kyrgios, a former world No. 13, who has previously faced criticism for his own controversial remarks about WTA players, responded succinctly to a social media post regarding Wertheim’s comments, simply stating, “Embarrassing.”
Krejcikova, a two-time Grand Slam winner, addressed the incident on social media, emphasizing the need for “respect and professionalism in sports media.” She expressed her disappointment, stating, “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 dedicated to this sport, it was disheartening to witness such unprofessional behavior. This is not the first instance of this nature in sports, and it’s time to advocate for respect and professionalism in media.”
Shortly after Krejcikova's statement, Wertheim issued an apology for his “deeply regrettable comments” made off-air, saying, “I acknowledge and sincerely apologize for them. I reached out immediately to the player to express my regrets.”
In response to the incident, The Tennis Channel announced that they have suspended Wertheim “indefinitely” and issued their apology to Krejcikova. They remarked, “While Jon has made valuable contributions to the tennis community, Tennis Channel holds its employees to standards of respectfulness that were clearly not upheld in this situation.”
Wertheim had previously criticized Kyrgios when the Australian made disrespectful remarks about WTA player Anna Kalinskaya, stating, “Second serve” in reference to her and her boyfriend, Jannik Sinner. The journalist then noted, “Nick Kyrgios once made a misogynistic, wildly inappropriate comment about a WTA player, which drew the ire of her ATP player boyfriend, her coach, and much of the locker room… but faced few real consequences, dismissed as youthful indiscretion. That was in 2015. He’s 29 now.”
The WTA has also weighed in, calling for respect following Wertheim’s comments about Krejcikova. In a statement, the organization declared, “There is no place in sport for inappropriate remarks about female athletes. The WTA stands in strong support of Barbora’s assertive call for respect, which should be a standard across all professional environments. Respect is a right, not a privilege.”