Australian Open 2018: Serena Williams tells Tennys Sandgren to apologise to 'entire group of people' over controversial tweets

Los Angeles: Serena Williams called on Tennys Sandgren to apologise on Wednesday after the unheralded American exited the Australian Open amid a backlash over his political views. [caption id=“attachment_4319221” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Tennys Sandgren. Reuters[/caption] Sandgren, a devout Christian, bowed out of the quarter-finals in Melbourne in straight sets following scrutiny over his politics and apparent support for far-right groups in the United States. Williams had been the subject of a Sandgren post on Twitter, with the 26-year-old describing the former world number one’s behaviour during a 2015 US Open match against Roberta Vinci as “disgusting.” Williams, who on Tuesday confirmed her comeback at the Fed Cup next month following a near year-long absence due to pregnancy and subsequent birth of her daughter, ripped Sandgren in a post on Twitter on Wednesday. “@TennysSandgren. I don’t need or want one. But there is a entire group of people that deserves an apology,” Williams wrote. “I can’t look at my daughter and tell her I sat back and was quiet. No! she will know how to stand up for herself and others - through my example,” she added.

@TennysSandgren I don't need or want one. But there is a entire group of people that deserves an apology. I cant look at my daughter and tell her I sat back and was quiet. No! she will know how to stand up for herself and others- through my example. ✊🏿 pic.twitter.com/im2NhoMdN4

— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) January 24, 2018

Williams had earlier taken aim at Sandgren as the broadcast of his last eight defeat to South Korea’s Chung Hyeon got underway. “Turns channel,” the 36-year-old star wrote. Following his Australian Open defeat, Sandgren lashed out at the “dehumanising” media after wiping his Twitter account. Among his tweets was one where he appeared to back a debunked online conspiracy in 2016 which linked Hillary Clinton to a supposed child sex abuse ring at a Washington pizzeria. He also retweeted a video from white nationalist Nicholas Fuentes. Sandgren had earlier denied that he supported far-right figures and said who he followed on Twitter “doesn’t matter”. “I don’t. I don’t (support them). I find some of the content interesting,” he said of the controversial figures.