Raymond Moore denounced by Canadian pro for women's tennis comments
Head of Montreal's Rogers Cup calls remarks by BNP Paribas Open director 'unfortunate'
The director of a California tennis tournament is facing heat from north of the border for controversial comments about female tennis players.
Raymond Moore, a 69-year-old former touring pro from South Africa who oversees the $7 million BNP Paribas Open, said Sunday that women's players "ride on the coattails of the men" while describing them as "physically attractive and competitively attractive."
Women's tennis has come a long way and I don't think his comments were right, especially coming from a tournament director.- Valérie Tétreault, former tennis professional
The remarks were swiftly denounced on social media, and top-ranked Serena Williams objected, saying, "Those remarks are very much mistaken and very, very, very inaccurate."
On Monday, Valérie Tétreault, a former pro from St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., echoed those criticisms.
"Women's tennis has come a long way and I don't think his comments were right, especially coming from a tournament director," she told CBC Montreal's Daybreak.
Tétreault said women's tennis is in a "period of transition" but has some bright stars, including Montreal native Eugenie Bouchard.
Eugène Lapierre, tournament director for Montreal's Rogers Cup tournament, also denounced the comments, saying that "fortunately, he [Moore] apologized for what he said."
Lapierre said Montreal tennis fans come out to cheer on both male and female athletes.
"It doesn't depend of the sex," he said. "It depends who shows up."
The 2016 Rogers Cup runs from July 22-31, 2016 in Montreal.