Barbora Krejcikova asked for respect and professionalism in the sports media on Sunday when she made “unprofessional” comments about her performance during a Tennis Channel broadcast.

Krejcikova, the reigning Wimbledon champion, competed at the WTA Finals in Riyadh this week, where she was defeated 6-3, 7-5 in the semi-finals by Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen.

During Tennis Channel’s coverage of the event Friday, journalist Jon Wertheim, apparently unaware he was on air, made a comment about Krejcikova’s forehead that was met with criticism on social media.

“As an athlete who has dedicated himself to this sport, it was disappointing to see this kind of unprofessional commentary,” Krejcikova wrote in a social media post. “This is not the first time something like this has happened in the sports world. I have often chosen not to say anything, but I believe it is time to address the need for respect and professionalism in sports media.

“These moments distract from the true essence of sport and the dedication that all athletes bring to the court. I love tennis very much and I want it to be represented in a way that reflects the commitment we make to compete at this level to compete.”

You may have heard of the recent comments on Tennis Channel during WTA Finals coverage that focused on my appearance rather than my performance. As an athlete who has dedicated himself to this sport, it was disappointing to see this kind of unprofessional (continued).

— Barbora Krejcikova (@BKrejcikova) November 10, 2024

Wertheim posted an apology to Krejcikova on X on Sunday, saying his comment was “neither professional, nor charitable, nor reflective of the person I try to be.”

An apology on tennistwitter: pic.twitter.com/HT81C2CLeQ

— Jon Wertheim (@jon_wertheim) November 10, 2024

The Tennis Channel said Wertheim had been taken off the air indefinitely over the inappropriate comment.

“Tennis Channel holds its employees to a standard of respect for others at all times, a standard that was not met at this time,” the channel said in a statement, adding that it has also apologized to Krejcikova.

The 28-year-old Krejcikova finished thirteenth in the WTA rankings this season.