Serena Williams has responded to comments made by Ilie Nastase regarding her pregnancy. “It disappoints me to know we live in a society where people l
Serena Williams has responded to comments made by Ilie Nastase regarding her pregnancy.
“It disappoints me to know we live in a society where people like Ilie Nastase can make such racist comments towards myself and unborn child, and sexist comments against my peers,” Williams wrote in an Instagram post.
“I have said it once and I’ll say it again, this world has come so far but yet we have so much further to go.
“I am not afraid unlike you. You see, I am no coward. Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? You may shoot me with your words … you may try to kill me with your hatefulness, but still like air, I rise.”
Nastase was heard to have said “Let’s see what colour it has. Chocolate with milk?” at a news conference on Friday in Romania, regarding Serena’ pregnancy. Williams had announced last week that she is expecting her first child with fiancé Alexis Ohanian, who is white.
The Romania captain, doesn’t believe that his remarks about the unborn child of Williams were racist.
“I want to know what word I used is racist?” he asked the Associated Press by phone on Monday from Budapest, Hungary. He added he was a friend of Williams.
Similarly, he was suspended from the Fed Cup by the International Tennis Federation for abusing the British team and the referee in a playoff. He hurled expletives at British player Johanna Konta, Britain captain Anne Keothavong and the umpire and has remained unrepentant
“Yes, I lost my temper,” he said by phone. But he didn’t believe his punishment was proportional.
