A tennis star who was told by her opponent to ‘wear deodorant’ has made a hilarious comeback.
On Tuesday (April 15), British tennis star Harriet Dart was facing off against French player Lois Boisson at the Open de Rouen, and halfway through the match, she made a bit of a brazen request to the chair umpire.
The British No 4 asked: “Can you tell her to wear deodorant? She’s smelling really bad.”
Dart’s rude comments were picked up by a courtside microphone, which prompted intense backlash from viewers on social media, who called for her to face repercussions.
Dart went on to lose the tournament against Boisson, and not longer after, she took to Instagram to issue a grovelling apology to her opponent.
Dart told the umpire her opponent ‘smells’ (Nathan Stirk/Getty Images for LTA)
She wrote: “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 fully responsibility. I have a lot of respect for Lois and how she competed today.”
The 28-year-old concluded that she would ‘learn’ from the experience and ‘move forward’.
Boisson, who made her first WTA Tour appearance of the season and is working to climb the ranks from No 303, also didn’t hesitate to respond to the matter, and appeared to take the apology in good sportsmanship.
Sharing a picture of herself in action from the match on Instagram, the 21-year-old photoshopped an image of a Dove deodorant can in her hands.
Harriet Dart apologised for the rude comments (Instagram/harriet_dart)
She even tagged a brand with the caption: “@dove apparently need a collab,” with a prayer emoji and two laughing faces.
Boisson’s response comes as Dart was blasted on social media, with many calling her remarks ‘nasty’.
“Harriet Dart your game stinks,” read one comment.
“This two second insult will come back to bite Harriet,” said another who asked why the umpire would be ‘responsible’ for the body odor of competitors.
“Losing hurts the arrogant,” quipped a third, while others said they were ‘glad’ she ultimately lost to Boisson.
Another comment read: “It’s basic decency not to say that in public, especially with cameras. I’m so disappointed with Harriet. You lost the match, but my God, don’t lose your dignity too.”
Meanwhile, Boisson’s photoshopped joke has gone down a treat, with many applauding her ‘mic drop’ reaction.
Boisson’s response has been celebrated by tennis fans (Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images for ITF)
“That’s a smart n’ classy way to move! Bravo,” said one.
“Outstanding,” another said. “I’m now a fan.”
“That’s the drama I love on WTA,” a third penned, while dozens more are urging Dove to take the collaboration offer seriously.
Dart had previously reached the third round of Wimbledon twice in her career, in 2019 and 2024, and formed part of the Great Britain team that reached the Billie Jean King Cup finals over the weekend, where they secured the spot despite the withdrawal of former US Open champ, Emma Raducanu.
Meanwhile, Boisson wiped the floor with Dart, who lost 6-0, 6-3 to the French star.
