VERBAL ABUSE
Johanna Konta defiant as Nastase rant row overshadows tie
Captain Ilie Nastase is said to have made insulting remarks to the umpire, Britain’s pregnant captain, Anne Keothavong, and Konta
Bucharest — Johanna Konta defended herself for walking off court as Romania brushed aside controversy about captain Ilie Nastase to beat Britain 3-1 in their scandal-hit Fed Cup play-off on Sunday. Nastase, 70, a former world No1 and two-time Grand Slam title winner, was kicked out of the tie on Saturday after a foul-mouthed rant compounded his controversial racial slur over Serena Williams’s unborn baby. Nastase is said to have made insulting remarks to the umpire, Britain’s pregnant captain, Anne Keothavong, as well as their No1, Konta. The latter burst into tears, leading to the rubber being temporarily suspended, and left the court, subsequently being criticised by her opponent at the time, Sorana Cirstea, for overdoing it. "With all due respect to Sorana, she was not in my shoes on that end of the court being verbally threatened," Konta, who according to some reports was abused by a fan, told the BBC on Sunday. "Any abuse is not alright, but when it is a couple of metres away f...
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