PARIS (AP) — British tennis player Harriet Dart has apologized after asking the chair umpire to tell her opponent to put on deodorant because she “smells really bad.”
Dart lost 6-0, 6-3 to French player Lois Boisson in the first round of the clay-court Rouen Open on Tuesday, and was picked up by a microphone during a changeover telling the umpire: “Can you tell her (Boisson) to wear deodorant? ... Because she smells really bad.”
After the footage spread on social media, Dart posted an apology on Instagram and said "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," she wrote. "I have a lot of respect for Lois and how she competed today. I’ll learn from this and move forward.”
Boisson, who made her first WTA Tour appearance of the season and is working her way back up from 303rd in the rankings after injuries, gave a light-hearted response. She posted a photo on Instagram of her on court with a Dove deodorant edited into the frame above her hand, tagging the company and writing that they “apparently need a collab.”
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
FILE - Harriet Dart of Britain plays a backhand return to Donna Vekic of Croatia during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)
CINCINNATI (AP) — After opening the season as the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns facing the Cincinnati Bengals, Joe Flacco will close the season as the backup for the Bengals as they face the Browns on Sunday.
Flacco was dealt to the Bengals in October and made six starts for the Bengals while Joe Burrow was out with a toe injury.
“I don’t really think about putting a label on it,” Flacco said. “It’s crazy. Seasons always go by quick once they’ve started. But the way that this one went, it seems like it flew by.”
During the summer, in Cleveland Browns training camp, Flacco won a competition for the starting quarterback job and made four starts for Cleveland. In Week 1 against the Bengals, Flacco threw for 290 yards.
He said that over the past 17 weeks, he has seen improvement from the Bengals defense. Now, he refers to the Bengals defense as his team’s defense.
“We’re stopping the run,” Flacco said. “We’re getting more pressure on the quarterback. When you combine those two things, it’s going to help you out.”
While Flacco went 1-5 as a starter in Cincinnati, the 40-year-old played well. He threw for at least 200 yards in four of his six starts, and the Bengals offense averaged more than 27 points per game.
Flacco said that he developed a lot of respect for Bengals coach Zac Taylor.
“He has a lot of strengths,” Flacco said. “He’s really good at what he does. His demeanor, his overall personality and the way he leads men is really good. The way he puts game plans together. Also, he’s willing to allow it to be collaborative. That’s a strength. His game day play-calling is also something he does really well.”
Burrow took over as the starter when he returned on Thanksgiving, and Flacco has been the backup over the past month.
Flacco will be a free agent again at the end of the season. As he evaluates his options, he’s hoping to find another chance to play and to start.
“That’s always a priority,” Flacco said. “I’m somebody who wants to play football. You’ve got to assess and see whatever is thrown your way. You have to go from there and see what you can do about it.”
He said that he’d be open to returning to the Bengals, but he’ll weigh several factors.
“I haven’t really thought about it,” Flacco said. “I don’t hope to do anything. I have an idea of maybe of what some goals would be. I’ll go from there and see what happens.”
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco throws during pregame warmups before an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (16) calls a play during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
