A Tennis Channel analyst has been suspended indefinitely after making “unprofessional” remarks about female tennis players while on air.
Barbora Krejcikova was upset about remarks made about her physical appearance during the Tennis Channel’s coverage of her match at the WTA Finals in Riyadh.
During her loss to Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen, analyst Jon Wertheim made a comment about Krejcikova’s forehead when he didn’t realize he was on the air.
While appearing on a big screen, Wertheim made remarks he believed were not being aired.
“Who do you think I am, Barbora Krejcikova?” Wertheim said during the segment. “Look at the forehead when Krejcikova and Jon take the court.”
The 28-year-old Krejcikova, who won Wimbledon this year, spoke out against the remarks.
“As an athlete who has dedicated herself to this sport, it was disappointing to see this type of unprofessional commentary,” Krejcikova wrote in a social media post. “This isn’t the first time something like this is happening in [the] 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.
“These moments distract from the true essence of sport and the dedication all athletes bring to the field. I love tennis deeply, and I want to see it represented in a way that honors the commitment we make to compete at this level.”
Wertheim apologized on Sunday to Krejcikova on X.
He said his comment was “neither professional nor charitable nor reflective of the person I strive to be.”
Wertheim has since been taken off the air indefinitely, Tennis Channel said in a statement. It has also apologized to Krejcikova.
“Jon has dedicated his career to shining a light on and growing this sport and has been a valued member of our family and the tennis community,” the network’s statement said. “That said, Tennis Channel holds its employees to a standard of respectfulness for others at all times, a standard that was not met in this moment.”