French Open host slammed for ‘racially – Sports News
A remark geared toward USA tennis star Sloane Stephens during her Roland Garros analyst desk duties on Tuesday had followers of the game livid online.
TNT’s French Open protection noticed tennis followers accuse Adam Lefkoe of utilizing racially insensitive language towards Stephens stay on air. Stephens joined the published desk alongside John Isner, Sam Querrey, and Caroline Wozniacki as protection started from Court Philippe-Chatrier.
The tennis consultants offered evaluation forward of a pair of ladies’s French Open quarterfinal matchups that set up a semifinal between Marta Kostyyuk and Mirra Andreeva.
During introductions, Lefkoe mentioned: “Yee-haw, Sloane Stephens, y’all. Great to see you get off the ranch, I know the crops needed tending.”
The remark was made as Lefkoe noticed Stephens’s outfit that included a white Western hat, a blazer, and a matching Miu Miu purse with gold accents. While caught off guard, the 2017 U.S. Open champion saved her poise and selected to not reply.
The majority of viewers argued the reference carried racial undertones. In distinction, others described it as a tone-deaf joke that ought to have by no means been mentioned, given the historical past of discrimination and abuse that Black Americans have endured for 250 years.
One fan wrote, “Tennis will never beat the allegations that it is a racist sport.” Another added, “What did I just hear? The commentary all week has been off putting. They also called Coco (Gauff) well spoken.”
A 3rd viewer added, “Props to her for maintaining her cool but she really shouldn’t have had to.” Stephens has repeatedly spoken in regards to the racism she has encountered as a Black athlete, however by no means specified if this explicit incident match the outline in that class.
Neither TNT Sports nor Lefkoe issued a public assertion concerning the interplay. Several of Lefkoe’s colleagues shortly defended him on the post to make clear elements of his life, together with ESPN’s Christine Williamson. “Adam Lefkoe is married to a Black woman. and tending crops is something that farmers do. but i can totally understand how people can take this out of context,” Williamson wrote on Threads.
Stephen turned skilled in 2009 and has received eight WTA singles titles and entered Roland Garros with a 6-11 singles report. She earned qualifying victories over Carol Young Suh Lee, Lisa Pigato, and Leyre Romero Gormaz earlier than falling in straight units to Sara Bejlek within the first spherical of the principle draw.
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