Lorenzo Musetti’s comment on Chinese fans stirred controversy, as the Asian swing of this season continues. Anna Kalinskaya broke down in tears after her first-round loss in the China Open, while Mirjam Shapovalov announced her retirement from tennis
Serena Williams’s criticism of using cotton as a decoration in a luxury hotel during her visit to New York City earlier this week enraged fans. Meanwhile, she also showed off the plethora of goods she received from the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan, who is also a close friend of the 23-time Grand Slam champion.
On that note, let us dive into the top stories of the day:
#1. Lorenzo Musetti issues apology after Xenophobia claims on his comments during China Open
Lorenzo Musetti badmouthed some Chinese fans in attendance during his second-round match at the 2025 China Open on September 26. In the second set tie-breaker of the match against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, the Italian was left unsettled as someone from the crowd coughed.
This led Musetti to remark something in Italian, which translated to “Those damn Chinese…they are always coughing.” However, the 23-year-old, upon realising his mistake, posted an apology on his Instagram story and wrote:
“I would like to sincerely apologize for what I said in frustration yesterday during my match. They were never, in any way, meant for the Chinese people. It happened in a moment of stress and tension in the second tiebreak, but still, this is no excuse at all.”
#2. Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian on American calling out racism
Alexis Ohanian supported his wife, Serena Williams, amid controversies during the latter’s recent NYC trip for the launch of the new NikeSKIMS collection. During her stay at a luxury hotel, she criticized them for using cotton as decoration, which garnered disapproval from many.
Ohanian supported his wife on X by bringing up Bailey’s ‘Monument for Promise’ sculpture, which is deeply rooted in black history and has vivid themes of slavery and exploitation. He posted: