Kournikova jabs cost Gimelstob ads

Television commercials featuring Gimelstob promoting the U.S. Open Series are being scrapped by the U.S. Tennis Association because of what he said about Anna Kournikova and other women last month.

"Justin Gimelstob's recent comments on a Washington, D.C., radio program were derogatory and demeaning to female tennis players and to women in general. The USTA has long championed integrity, inclusiveness, diversity, and equality, and cannot ignore such harmful remarks. More than any other sport, tennis has benefited from the pioneering role and achievements of so many women," the USTA said in a statement released to The Associated Press on Wednesday.

"As a result of his remarks, the USTA is discontinuing its planned use of Justin Gimelstob in the 2008 Olympus U.S. Open Series television ad campaign. The USTA has met with Justin, who has expressed deep remorse and has issued his sincere apology. We anticipate that he will learn from this experience and that he will be able to contribute to the game of tennis in the future," the statement said.

In the radio appearance, Gimelstob used a derogatory term to describe Kournikova, a former tennis player, and made suggestive comments about current top-25 player Nicole Vaidisova.

"I respect the USTA's decision," Gimelstob said in a phone interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday. "They've been great to me over the years, and I appreciated the opportunity. Unfortunately, I take full responsibility for what happened on the show and I deeply regret it. And I'm sorry I didn't represent them or myself the way that I feel like I could have or should have. I'm apologetic and remorseful and wish I could take it back, but I can't."

Gimelstob retired from the men's tennis tour last year and is on the board of the ATP.

After his radio remarks, he was suspended for one match without pay by World Team Tennis, but stayed on the air during Wimbledon for his job with the Tennis Channel. That channel issued a statement and apology on its website and requested that Gimelstob make a "substantial" donation to the Women's Sports Foundation, which was created by Billie Jean King in 1974.

"I made a mistake and I've apologized. I just hope people accept my apology. I believe that I have positive things to offer the sport and I hope I get back to the point of contributing," he said Wednesday. "I think what I did deserved repercussions, and that's what I'm experiencing now. I have to take responsibility for it and learn from it and move forward."

Gimelstob was to appear Wednesday night in a World Team Tennis match for the Washington Kastles at the New York Buzz in Albany, N.Y. He will serve his suspension Friday, when the Kastles host the Buzz.

Gimelstob apologizes for Kournikova comments

Gimelstob retired from the men’s tour last year and is on the board of the ATP, which runs men’s tennis. He made sexual remarks about Kournikova and other female players on a Washington radio program “The Junkies” last week, before heading to Wimbledon.

The comments were widely published in Britain on Friday, after Gimelstob was suspended one match without pay by WTT for a violation of the player conduct code.

Gimelstob called Kournikova the “b-word” and made sexually-charged remarks about her and his brother. Gimelstob apologized on the WTT Web site Wednesday, the day of his suspension.

Serena Williams, who is on the Washington Kastles team with Gimelstob, said the comments were “totally uncalled for.”

“Being pro women’s rights, I just think we’ve come farther than to be referred to … you know, I don’t cuss,” she said Friday, during her post-match press conference. “Anna is a great girl. For anyone to say that about her is kind of … what can I say? It’s not professional.”

Gimelstob also made a suggestive comment about Czech player Nicole Vaidisova during the program. Vaidisova downplayed the remarks.

“I know Justin. He’s a very nice guy. I heard he apologized for it,” Vaidisova said. “I think it’s just you say something and you don’t really mean it. It happens.”

In his apology, Gimelstob said there was “no excuse” for his comments.

“I am extremely disappointed in myself,” Gimelstob said in the statement. “I take full responsibility for all the words that came out of my mouth … Anna Kournikova, World Team Tennis and many others deserve my deepest apologies.

“I recognize that my access to communicate to the public should be used in a positive way, and this was clearly not the case last week.”

Billie Jean King, the co-founder of WTT, met with Gimelstob and was “confident both he and WTT will move beyond this unfortunate incident,” she said in a statement on the WTT Web site.

Gimelstob, a commentator at Wimbledon for Tennis Channel, writes a regular column for Sports Illustrated’s Web site.

Kournikova made the Wimbledon semifinals in her debut in 1997. She never won a singles title, but won two Australian Open doubles titles.

Kournikova had little to say about Gimelstob’s remarks.

“I really don’t want to get into any of the off-court stuff,” she said Thursday during a conference call previewing the WTT season. “I’m just going to take the high road and not get into this discussion.

“WTT is not about those sorts of things, it’s about keeping it fun and positive. … I don’t want to give it any more significance than it has already received.”

The ATP did not sanction Gimelstob.

“The ATP cannot condone any form of intolerance and Justin Gimelstob’s comments last week were unacceptable,” the ATP said. “However, Justin has done the right thing in taking full responsibility for his comments by apologizing publicly to Anna for what he has rightly described as his disappointing and disrespectful comments.”

The women’s WTA Tour welcomed Gimelstob’s suspension.

“We’re disappointed at Justin’s remarks, which are inappropriate and contrary to what our sport should stand for,” the WTA said. “We believe that he has learned from this experience and will not be repeating his behavior.”

ANNA ATHLETICS

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