American tennis player Serena Williams attended a press conference before the tournament in Rome, Italy. She was asked if she refused to travel to the previous tournament in Madrid due to comments made by competition owner Ion Cyriac.
The Romanian tycoon recommended that the American retire because she can no longer cope with young players.
“That guy’s comments? That old man? I have no idea. He’s still … ”, – Serena interrupted her reply smiling, according to Eurosport.ro.
The American has not participated in a tournament sponsored by Ion Cyriac since 2015. She won the Madrid singles title in 2012 and 2013 and the doubles title in 2010 with her older sister Venus Williams. After the unflattering comments of the Romanian, Serena Williams’ husband launched a real campaign to denigrate Cyriacus on social networks.
The tycoon also argued that women in tennis do not deserve as much money as male tennis players, because they do not attract the public to the extent that representatives of the stronger sex do. Williams, as an advocate for women’s rights, decided not to play in Cyriac’s tournaments anymore.