Serena slams ‘Nasty’ slur
Serena hits Nastase for ‘chocolate’ baby slap
SERENA WILLIAMS is breaking her silence.
The No. 1 women’s tennis player in the world took to Instagram on Monday to call Ilie Nastase’s recent comments about her unborn child “racist” and offer support to the International Tennis Federation’s investigation into the matter.
“It disappoints me to know we live in a society where people like Ilie Nastase can make such racist comments towards myself and my unborn child,” Williams wrote.
“I humbly thank the ITF for any consideration given to all the facts in this case.”
Last week, Nastase, in response to Williams’ pregnancy announcement, said at a press conference, “Let’s see what color it has . . . chocolate with milk?”
Williams, 35, is engaged to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, 33. Williams is black and Ohanian is white.
Williams, a 23-time major championship winner, is due to give birth in the fall.
In her post, Williams also wrote, “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. Yes, we have broken down so many barriers — however there are a plethora more to go. This or anything else will not stop me from pouring love, light and positivity into everything that I do.
“I will continue to take a lead and stand up for what’s right.”
To further get her point across about standing up to Nastase’s harsh words, Williams also quoted Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise” in the social media post.
“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,” she wrote.
Nastase was defiant when he gave a response to The Associated Press.
“I want to know what word I used is racist?” he said.
Nastase was nicknamed “Nasty” for outbursts and boorish behavior during the height of his career in the 1970s.
He is currently the captain of the Romanian FedEx Cup team and under provisional suspension by the ITF for verbal abuse of British opponents and the chair umpire during a match last weekend.