British number four Harriet Dart has tendered an apology to French player Lois Boisson for offensive comments made towards the Frenchwoman during her first-round defeat at the Rouen Open.
During a changeover in the second set, 28-year-old Dart was heard on the broadcast asking the umpire to tell her French opponent to put on deodorant, saying “Can you ask her to put on deodorant? She smells really bad.”
The world number 62, who ended up losing 6-0, 6-3 to Boisson, later posted on her Instagram story: “I want to apologise for what I said on court today, it was a heat-of-the-moment comment that I truly regret.”
Dart added in her post, “That’s not how I want to carry myself, and I take full responsibility. I have a lot of respect for Lois and how she competed today. I’ll learn from this and move forward.”
Boisson later made light of the incident on her Instagram story, posting an edited photo of her holding some deodorant and telling toiletries company Dove that they “apparently need a collab.”