Former world number one Chris Evert has apologised for her remarks about Karolina Muchova in the US Open. The 28-year-old is currently taking part in the fourth and the final Grand Slam of the year where she has booked her place in the third round after beating Japan’s Naomi Osaka in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 7-6.
Evert, after watching that match, was quoted by a user on social media where she called the Czech Republic’s tennis star playing like ‘a guy’. "She plays like a guy. She wants to play like a guy. The guys have bigger serves than the women, they have better volleys for the most part, they move a little bit better,” she said.
That comment did not go down well with the Tunisia’s tennis star Ons Jabeur, who, in a post on social media platform X — previously known as Twitter — called for the end of ‘stereotyping’. “Muchova is an amazing, talented player. She doesn’t have to be a guy to have great serve , volley or movement. Can we please stop stereotyping based on gender?,” she wrote.
Evert, while responding to Jabeur, apologised for her comment and admitted that her choice of words could have been different. “I apologize if I offended you both, certainly not my intention,” she wrote. “The power, mobility, and athleticism has improved so much, and many women I interview have men idols who they aspire to play like. Again, maybe my delivery could've been better, so sorry.”
Muchova came into the competition hoping to replicate what she achieved last season where she played in the semifinal at the Flashing Meadows. She will now face Anastasia Potapova of Russia in the round of 32. The 23-year-old booked her place in the next round after beating America’s Varvara Lepchenko in straight sets with a score 6-3, 6-4.
i apologize if I offended you both, certainly not my intention. The power, mobility, and athleticism has improved so much, and many women I interview have men idols who they aspire to play like. Again, maybe my delivery could've been better, so sorry!
Muchova is an amazing talented player . She doesn’t have to be a guy to have great serve , volley or movement. Can we please stop stereotyping based on gender?
