23-time grand slam champion Serena Williams has responded to claims by Ion Tiriac about her appearance and the state of the women’s tour.
Earlier this month the 78-year-old sparked controversy when he spoke about Williams’ appearance and age. Speaking with German publication, Sport Bild, Tiriac said he wished a player like Steffi Graf would emerge on the tour. Complaining that the women’s game is currently lacking personalities on the tour.
“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.
Williams, who has won 72 WTA titles during her career, responded to the comments during an interview with The New York Times. The American is continuing her comeback to the tour since giving birth in September. She is set to return to action in a week’s time at the Madrid Open in Spain. A tournament that is coincidentally owned by Tiriac.
“I always say people are entitled to their opinion,” said Williams. “Clearly there’s more to women’s tennis than me. There’s a lot more, but I’ll have words with him, believe me, I’ll have words with him. It’s an ignorant comment, and it’s a sexist comment, and maybe he’s an ignorant man.”
Tiriac is known for his outspoken comments. On multiple occasions he has argued for the motion of allowing men to be paid more than women in mixed tournaments. He has claimed that only a quarter of revenue generated by the Madrid Open is due to women’s tennis. The rest relates to the ATP Tour.
“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.” He said. “The men ask me: Ion, how long do you want to pay the women with my money?”
A work in progress
Amid the controversial comments from the Romanian businessman, Williams is in France tuning up her game for the clay season. Her return to the tour in March was a roller coaster experience. At Indian Wells she reached the third round before losing to sister Venus. Then in Miami she bowed out in straight sets to Naomi Osaka.
Between Indian Wells and Miami, Williams revealed that she had to reduce her practice sessions. She was forced to do so after being diagnosed with mastitis. A condition when a woman’s breast tissue become inflamed and painful. It is linked to breastfeeding.
Currently ranked 451st in the world, Williams faces some tough draws in the future. Sparking a debate about whether players should receive a protected seeding due to pregnancy. Despite the challenge, the American is relishing the opportunity to return back to the top of the game.
“I feel like since Miami, I’ve made a ton of progress, but who knows,” she said. “I’ll have to see when I get out there to play a match. I always have to be ready, but I have to be even more ready because who knows who I can play early, or first or second. So I really have to be super-super-ready, so that’s kind of what I’ve been working on.”
The Madrid Open is set to be Williams’ first competitive tournament on clay since the 2016 French Open.
