Harriet Dart has issued a public apology for asking Lois Boisson to put deodorant on during the match.
According to Sky News, the highly ranked British tennis player during the first round of the clay-court Rouen Open on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, insulted her French opponent, saying that she “smells really bad” and requesting her to put on deodorant.
The 28-year-old, during a changeover in the second set, asked the umpire, “Can you tell her to wear deodorant? Because she smells really bad."
Later the British No. 4 apologised for her comments in her Instagram story, writing, “It was a heat-of-the-moment comment that I truly regret. 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. I'll learn from this and move forward," she added.
Meanwhile, Boisson, who responded to Dart with a tongue-in-cheek response at the court, posted an Instagram photo of her on the court with a deodorant bottle and wrote, “@Dove apparently needs a collab.”
Notably, Boisson beat Dart, 6-0, 6-3, in the opening round to face Japanese player Moyuka Uchijima in the round of 16 on Thursday, April 17, 2025.
