Top ranked Serena Williams raced into Wimbledon final after a comprehensive straight set victory over Russia’s Elena Vesnina on Friday.
However, her record victory the fastest semifinal in the history of Wimbledon was marred by an allegedly sexist tweet from British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Sport’s official account.
The tweet said: “Her match lasted just 48 minutes but Serena Williams says female players deserve equal pay.”
The tweet received massive criticism, compelling BBC Sport to take it down.
The 34-year-old Williams after the semifinal had said: “I don’t deserve to be paid less because of my sex.”
“Basically my whole life I’ve been doing this. I haven’t had a life,” she said.
“I would like to see people the public, the press, and other athletes in general just realise and respect women for who they are and what we are and what we do.”
Earlier this year, Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic voiced that men deserved to be paid more than their female counterparts as they attract more crowds.
But later, he apologised saying, “I don’t make any differences between the genders. I am for equality in the sport.”
The tweet comes three days after the BBC Sport referred to Pakistan’s international cricketer Mohammad Amir as a “convicted spot-fixer” for his involvement in spot-fixing along with Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt during Pakistan’s tour of England in 2010.
In a one-sided contest, the American tennis player served 11 aces, to beat Vesnina by 6-2 and 6-0.
Williams bagged 28 winners, whereas, the Russian Vesnina was able to win only 9 points.
Serena, who eyes her sixth grass courts’ event win, will face Germany’s Angelique Kerber in the final. The German defeated Serena’s sister, Venus William, with straight sets (6-4 and 6-4) in the second semifinal.