French tennis player Lois Boisson has responded with a touch of humour after British No. 4 Harriet Dart made an offhand comment about her body odour during their first-round match at the Rouen Open on Tuesday. Boisson stunned Dart in straight sets, winning 6-0, 6-3 in what was a notable upset on the clay courts of northern France.
The controversy erupted during a second-set changeover, when Dart, seemingly frustrated and trailing in the match, was overheard saying to the umpire: “Can you tell her to wear deodorant? Because she smells really bad.” The remark was made while Boisson was at the back of the court and apparently out of earshot, but microphones picked up the exchange.
Following backlash online and criticism from tennis fans and commentators, Dart, 28, took to Instagram to issue a formal apology.
“It was a heat-of-the-moment comment that I truly regret,” she wrote. “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.”
Boisson, 20, who is currently ranked 303rd in the world and making her first WTA Tour appearance of the season following injury setbacks, responded to the situation in a lighthearted fashion. On Instagram, she posted a photo of herself on court with a superimposed image of a Dove deodorant stick. “@Dove apparently need a collab,” she joked, adding a couple of cheeky emojis to underline her playful tone.
Despite the off-court drama, Boisson’s performance was the real headline of the day. The Frenchwoman dominated the match from the outset, breaking Dart’s serve four times and sealing the win in under an hour. The victory marks a significant milestone in Boisson’s return to professional tennis and could signal a promising run on clay this season.
For Dart, ranked No. 110, it was a disappointing defeat both in terms of result and sportsmanship. While her apology may help repair some of the damage, the incident serves as a reminder of the scrutiny players face both on and off the court.
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