Harriet Dart’s first-round exit at the Open de Rouen was overshadowed by an unusual moment during her match against Lois Boisson. As Dart trailed 6-0, 3-0 on Tuesday, the British No. 3 approached the chair umpire during a changeover with a request that quickly drew attention across the tennis world.
“Can you tell her to wear deodorant?” Dart was heard asking. “She’s smelling really bad.” The comment, captured by court-side microphones, circulated quickly on social media, drawing criticism and sparking debate about sportsmanship and on-court behavior.
Dart went on to lose the match in straight sets, failing to convert any of her six break points and surrendering her serve four times. Boisson, who entered the tournament ranked No. 303 in the world, claimed one of the biggest wins of her young career by defeating the 62nd-ranked Brit.
Tennis fans didn’t hide their shock with the situation, commenting on social media. Some of the comments on X include similar takes: “this is wild,” “insane,” or “Unsportsmanlike conduct. She should be fined.” However, Dart was quickly to apologize.
Dart apologizes to Boisson, the French player joked on Instagram
After the match, Dart addressed the situation on Instagram, offering an apology for her comment. “I want to apologize for what I said in court today, it was a heat-of-the-moment comment that I truly regret,” she wrote.
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“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.” She closed her statement by saying, “I’ll learn from this and move forward.”
Boisson responded with humor. The 21-year-old French player posted an Instagram Story referencing the situation with a lighthearted jab: “Dove, apparently we need a collab,” she wrote, adding a praying emoji and laughing emojis.
The match marked Boisson’s return to the WTA Tour after time away due to injury. Her win over Dart secured her a spot in the round of 16 and delivered an early upset in the tournament.
