Overview
- During a first-round match at the Rouen Open, Harriet Dart was heard asking the umpire to tell French opponent Lois Boisson to 'wear deodorant' due to a 'bad smell.'
- The comment, captured by courtside microphones, drew widespread criticism on social media for being unsportsmanlike.
- Dart issued a public apology on Instagram, calling her remark a heat-of-the-moment mistake and taking full responsibility for her actions.
- Lois Boisson, ranked 303rd, defeated Dart decisively 6-0, 6-3, and later responded to the incident with humor by posting a playful Instagram story referencing deodorant.
- The incident has sparked broader conversations on sportsmanship and the pressures of professional tennis, with no comment yet from the WTA on potential disciplinary action.