"Serena Williams is 90 pounds, I would like to see Steffi Graf" - When ex-pro bluntly criticized women's tennis for lacking appealing personalities

Serena Williams has faced numerous challenges throughout her tennis career, including racism, sexism, and constant criticism. However, tensions escalated when former pro Ion Tiriac publicly criticized her, using a comparison to tennis legend Steffi Graf.

Williams had been on a hiatus due to pregnancy-related issues before making her comeback to tennis in 2018. Even though her last Grand Slam title came at the Australian Open a year earlier, she remained a formidable presence whenever she stepped on the court.

A few people were critical of her for prolonging her career, and one of them was Tiriac. For those unfamiliar, the Romanian was a professional tennis and ice hockey player before turning to business. He also owned the Madrid Open from 2009 to 2021 and worked as a coach at various points.

In a 2018 interview with the German magazine Sport Bild, Tiriac criticized what he saw as a lack of personalities in the WTA at the time. He commented on Williams’ age and weight, saying he was tired of seeing her dominate and would rather watch a player like Steffi Graf take center stage again.

"With all due respect, but Serena Williams is 36 and 90 pounds I would like to see something else, I would like to see a player like Steffi Graf," he said.

Tiriac also slammed the idea of equal prize money for men and women in tennis, saying:

"That’s where we mix politics with business. I’m hosting the tournament in Madrid, with the same prize money for men and women. But the revenue from women is only 25 percent. That’s a fact. The men ask me: Ion, how long do you want to pay the women with my money?"

It was not the only time Ion Tiriac sparked controversy with comments about Serena Williams, as he once again made headlines for similar remarks three years later, in 2021.

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"If Serena Williams had a little decency, she would retire" - Ion Tiriac

Serena Williams pictured at the 2022 US Open | Image Source: Getty

Ion Tiriac made headlines again in 2021 for controversial remarks about Serena Williams. He claimed that Williams, who was 40 at the time, should have already ended her career and criticized her age and weight.

Tiriac said during an interview with Romanian television:

"At this age and the weight she is now, she does not move as easily as she did 15 years ago … Serena was a sensational player. If she had a little decency, she would retire."