Barbora Krejcikova was subject to very unprofessional commentary from prominent journalist Jon Wertheim during a recent Tennis Channel broadcast.
The Czech player qualified for the 2024 WTA Finals thanks to her win at this year's Wimbledon Championships. A special rule that allows Grand Slam champions to compete at the year-end championship even if they are 'only' in the Top 20 of the WTA Race made it possible for Krejcikova to compete in Riyadh.
She showed that she deserved her spot at the WTA Finals, even though Daria Kasatkina spoke out against the rule. By beating Coco Gauff in the last round-robin match, the Czech player qualified for the semi-finals of the WTA Finals.
Krejcikova then lost to Qinwen Zheng, but unfortunately, her great run in Riyadh was overshadowed by a controversy that she didn't ask for or deserve to be part of.
Like the vast majority of tennis tournaments, the WTA Finals were also broadcast by the American television network Tennis Channel. Part of the commentary team for the tournament was also one of the most prominent tennis journalists, Jon Wertheim.
The 53-year-old journalist was joining the TCLive Studio via a video call, and he was probably unaware that the footage of what was happening in the studio was already broadcast to the tennis fans.
When setting up his camera, Wertheim made an uncalled-for remark about the appearance of one of the WTA Finals participants, Krejcikova, when he said:
"Who do you think I am? Barbora Krejcikova. Look at the forehead!"
Immediately after Wertheim's comments, it could be heard that the production crew reminded everyone present that they were already live, making the experienced journalist realize what kind of misstep he just made.
It didn't take long before the moment took rounds all around the world, and naturally, also Krejcikova was made aware of the unprofessional comments made about her appearance.
Shortly after her semi-final loss at the WTA Finals, the Czech player took to social media to release a statement about Wertheim's comments, which were certainly hurtful for her.
"You might have heard about the recent comments made on Tennis Channel during the WTA Finals coverage that focused on my appearance rather than my performance."
"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."
Krejcikova highlighted that it's not something that would happen the first time in the world of sports, and while she chose to remain silent before, this time, she felt like she needed to address the issue.
"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."
At this moment, Wertheim has yet to provide a comment or any kind of apology about what he said during the live broadcast.