Austrian tennis player Dominic Thiem saidSerena Williamshas a “bad personality” after he reportedly had to switch interview rooms to accommodate the star athlete at the French Open.
Thiem, 25, was in the middle of his post-match news conference on Saturday when he said he was told he needed to move so that Williams, who had just lost ina surprising upset, could give her press conference in the room.
“Every player has to wait. It shows a bad personality, in my opinion,” Thiem said, according tothe BBC.
“What the hell?” Thiem reportedly said after he had to move rooms. “But it’s a joke, really. What’s the point of that, that I have to leave the room because she’s coming?”
Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty; Stephen Bartholomew/IPS/Shutterstock
Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty
“I wasn’t angry or frustrated,” he later toldEurosport. “Maybe for a couple of minutes or so. It is just the principle. It doesn’t matter if it is me who sits in there, even if a junior is in there.”
“I am 100% sureRoger FedererorRafael Nadalwould never do something like that,” Thiem added, referencing two other tennis greats.
Tournament director Guy Forget has since apologized to Thiem, the BBC reported. The French Open did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment, nor did a rep for Williams.
Somewere quick to defend Williams, including Whoopi Goldberg onThe View.Said Goldberg of Thiem, “You may be big in the tennis world but this a big deal that Serena lost this early,” according to Yahoo.
Serena Williams, Sofia Kenin.Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
“She played really well,” Williams said of Kenin after the match, according toESPN. “I feel like she, in that first set in particular, hit pretty much inches from the line. I hadn’t played anyone like that in a long time… She just played, literally, unbelievable. She really went out there today and did great.”
On Sunday, the tennis legend shared anempowering, inspirational messageto Instagram, referencing her loss.
“Yesterday was not my day. But it’s about getting up time and time again after you fall,” Williamswrote. “Here’s to a multitude of tomorrows.”
source: people.com
