There are many ways to react to the news that tennis god Serena Williams is pregnant (opens in new tab), such as with delight. Or with awe, that she managed to win the Australian Open while 10 weeks along. A less acceptable way is to publicly opine about what color the baby will be, as Ilie Nastaste did last week.
Over the weekend, Nastase, a Romanian tennis legend who peaked in the 1970s, allegedly said (opens in new tab) of Williams' pregnancy, "Let's see what color it has. Chocolate with milk?" He seemed to be referring to the unborn child's skintone, as Williams is black and her fiancé (opens in new tab), Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, is white.
The International Tennis Federation immediately decried the comments, saying: "The ITF does not tolerate discriminatory and offensive language and behaviour of any kind. We are aware of alleged comments made by Romanian captain Ilie Nastase and have begun an immediate investigation so that we have the full facts of the situation before taking further and appropriate action."
Today, Williams responded to the nasty words in an Instagram post.
"I am not afraid unlike you. You see, I am no coward," Williams says, before quoting Maya Angelou's famous poem, "Still I Rise."
Nastase's longstanding nickname is (opens in new tab) the "Bucharest Buffoon."
Follow Marie Claire on F (opens in new tab)acebook (opens in new tab) for the latest celeb news, beauty tips, fascinating reads, livestream video, and more.
-
A Celebrity Colorist Explains Why You Should Always Wash Your Hair After Coloring ItEvery color needs a good cleanse.
-
Lizzo's Game-Changing Eyebrow Hack Is About to Revamp Your Makeup Routine
She also gave us a peek inside her makeup bag.
-
This Is the Only Dry Shampoo That Makes My Hair Feel Clean—Not Crunchy
Bonus: It’s only $8 per bottle.
-
Sarah Hyland and Adam Devine Play 'How Well Do You Know Your Co-Star?'
The 'Modern Family' stars reunited for the 'Pitch Perfect' spinoff series.
-
The 78 Best Celebrity Couple Halloween Costumes of All Time
Honestly, we're impressed.
-
Super Rare Photos of Queen Elizabeth as a Young Woman
From childhood snapshots to portraits as a young princess, beautiful and rare photos of the late Queen Elizabeth as a young woman.
-
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla's Relationship: A Timeline
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, Charles has ascended to the throne as king.
-
Who Is Next in Line for the British Throne, Explained
And yes—Harry and Archie are still in the line of succession.
-
Who Is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Fiancé Riley Roberts?
AOC's husband-to-be is an "easygoing redhead" who lives with her in D.C.
-
68 Times the Kardashians Posed Fully Nude and Owned It
And we mean fully nude—as in, not a shred of clothing.
-
Who Is Jonathan Owens, Simone Biles's Fiancé and NFL Player?
"The easiest yes!" Simone wrote about the couple's engagement.
