Tennis journalist Jon Wertheim has issued a public apology after being called out by two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova, in light of his controversial comments on her physical appearance. Krejcikova had called the comments 'unprofessional,' demanding that the sports world show more respect to the athletes who make the game their life.
In an interview that went live on Tennis Channel during the WTA Finals, Wertheim was heard making a remark about the Czech player's forehead, making fun of its size. It immediately went viral on social media, and the journalist came under fire from fans.
With Krejcikova herself calling him out as well, the journalist had no choice but to issue a public apology. On Sunday, he penned a note on Twitter (now X), stating that he deeply regretted the comments and that he had already apologized to the reigning Wimbledon champ in private.
"During a Tennis Channel studio show on Friday, I made some deeply regrettable comments off-air. I acknowledge them. I apologize for them. I reached out immediately and apologized to the player," Wertheim wrote.
"What happened? I joined the show by zoom. In rehearsal we were shown a graphic of a player who had just competed. It showed her at an angle that exaggerated her forehead. A few moments later, I was told to frame up my zoom. I looked at the low camera angle and joked that it made my forehead resemble the photo of the player in question," he added.
Although Wertheim maintained that he made the comments thinking that he was off the air at the time, he took full accountability for his actions and vowed to do better in the future to make sure such incidents do not happen again.
"Someone in the control room chimed in and I bantered back. Though this was a private rehearsal, this exchange inadvertently, and without context, made it to live air," he said.
"I realize: I am not the victim here. It was neither professional nor charitable nor reflective of the person I strive to be. I am accountable. I own this. I am sorry," he added.
What did Barbora Krejcikova say about the comments?
Barbora Krejcikova had minced no words speaking about her disappointment about Jon Wertheim's comments on her. The Czech had even insisted that this was not the first time something like this was happening in sports, urging the media world to do better in the coming days at least.
"As an athlete who has dedicated herself to this sport, it was disappointing to see this type of unprofessional commentary. 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," Krejcikova said.
On the tennis side of things, Krejcikova finished as a semifinalist at the WTA Finals 2024, losing to eventual runner-up Zheng Qinwen. By doing so, she will end the year inside the top 10, at the World No. 10 spot.