Nastase slur spurs angry reactions

Hong Kong, April 26: Former British number one Tim Henman blasted tennis great Ilie Nastase Wednesday, saying his racial slur against Serena Williams was “indefensible”.

The 70-year-old Romanian Fed Cup captain has been suspended by the International Tennis Federation over his controversial comments about Serena’s unborn baby, as well as abusive behaviour during a tie between Romania and Britain.

“I think it’s indefensible really... but there’s an investigation going on and I guess we’ll just have to see what happens there,” said the former world number four.

Nastase was overheard by a journalist on Friday commenting on Williams’ unborn child — who will be of mixed race as her fiance is white — saying: “Let’s see what colour it has. Chocolate with milk?”

A day later the former world number one and two-time Grand Slam winner found himself in hot water once again after swearing at the umpire, British captain Anne Keothavong and British number one player Johanna Konta during a Fed Cup match — calling the latter two “f***ing b **** es”.

Speaking at an event to launch grassroots tennis programme “The Road to Wimbledon” on a fittingly wet day in Hong Kong, Henman said it had been a “pretty unfortunate episode for the Fed Cup”.

“It’s not something that you like to see going on in tennis. It’s got no place in society,” Henman said.

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