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Tennis terror Ilie Nastase still as nasty as ever

Britain's Johanna Konta was left in tears after Ilie Nastase's on-court abuse.

Britain's Johanna Konta was left in tears after Ilie Nastase's on-court abuse. Photo: PA Wire

During his playing days Ilie Nastase was known as “Nasty” – an obvious and accurate reflection of the one-time champion’s foul-mouthed antics on the world’s centre courts.

Now 70, the Romania Fed Cup captain has been suspended from all International Tennis Federation (ITF) events after being thrown out of the tie against Britain for verbally abusing opposing team members and the umpire.

Nastase, was ordered off the court after objecting to crowd noise and then launching into a stream of obscenity and abuse which reduced English player Johanna Konta to tears.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EC6tYWb-Xk

“Under the terms of the provisional suspension, Nastase may not participate in the Fed Cup in any capacity with immediate effect and shall be denied access to, and accreditation for, any ITF event including Fed Cup,” the ITF said in a statement.

The sport’s governing body said it was continuing an investigation into the weekend’s events and would make no further comment until that was completed.

The Fed Cup outburst began when the former world No.1 reportedly said to the umpire, “What’s your f***ing problem?”.

But that was just the start.

Witnesses say he then called British captain Anne Keothavong and Konta a pair of “f***ing bitches”.

Nastase was sent off the court by referee Andreas Egli and, after taking a seat in the stand, was escorted back to the locker room.

Play briefly resumed, but a sobbing Konta was clearly not up to the stress. After dropping serve she left the court for 25 minutes to compose herself, subsequently returning to win five straight games against opponent Sorana Cirstea to claim the match 6-2 6-3 to level the tie.

Earlier, Nastase had launched into an astonishing rant at a British journalist, calling her stupid for reporting his comment about Serena Williams, who announced last week that she is expecting her first child with fiance Alexis Ohanian.

“Let’s see what colour it has. Chocolate with milk?” he was heard to say on Friday.

Nastase tried to dismiss the remark as a harmless quip.

“This was a joke,” he insisted. “If someone didn’t understand it, they lack humour … they have their own humour and we have our humour.”

Ilie Nastase blows his top at a match official during the bizarre outburst in Constanta, Romania.

Ilie Nastase blows his top at a match official during the bizarre outburst in Constanta, Romania.

On Saturday morning Nastase stormed into the media centre where Eleanor Crooks of the Press Association had the misfortune to be the only member of the British media present.

“Why did you write that?” Nastase demanded, “You’re stupid! You’re stupid!”

Ms Crooks said the ranting tirade went on for more than two minutes as Nastase lambasted her in front of local Romanian journalists.

”I explained we simply reported what he said and that it was unnecessary to make such a comment about colour,” she said.

“He said the English were out to get him. He did not dispute the accuracy of what was reported.”

The vanquished Cirstea was almost as angry as her captain after losing the match to Konta, all but accusing her opponent of gaining an unfair advantage by asking for their contest to be suspended while she regained her composure.

“I’ve played all over the world, they called me from ‘gypsy’ to ‘bitch’ to ‘a***hole’ to ‘idiot’,” she said, suggesting that Konta needs to toughen up.

“They were doing like (mimes slitting throat) to me. I never cried and left the court, I stay there and I play.”

– with AAP

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