NEW YORK – Tennis Channel took analyst Jon Wertheim off the air “indefinitely” after Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova called him out on social media for what she called “coverage that focused on my appearance rather than my performance.”
The network said in a statement posted online Sunday that Wertheim made “an inappropriate comment” and it “holds its employees to a standard of respectfulness for others at all times, a standard that was not met in this moment.”
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Wertheim posted an apology, acknowledging his “deeply regrettable comments off-air” that “inadvertently made it to live air.”
Krejcikova played last week in the WTA Finals, which were shown on Tennis Channel.
She is a 28-year-old from the Czech Republic who also won a Grand Slam singles title at the 2020 French Open and owns seven major doubles trophies, too.
“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. 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,” Krejcikova wrote. “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 also works for Sports Illustrated and is a “60 Minutes” correspondent.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis