Serena and Venus Williams get apology from Russian tennis official

The Russian tennis official who made derogatory remarks about Serena and Venus Williams, referring them as “brothers,” has sent them a personal message.

“He has reached out to apologize to both myself and my sister,” Serena Williams told the Associated Press at the WTA Finals in Singapore on Thursday. She added that “it was written. No, I did not speak to him.”

Shamil Tarpischev, head of the Russian tennis federation, was appearing on a television talk show when he made his comments, saying the Williams were “scary” to look at.

Tarpischev subsequently apologized in an open letter and said that he was only trying to make a joke.

The WTA Tour fined him $25,000 and suspended him for a year. Tarpischev has also been asked for a full explanation by the International Olympic Committee, of which he is a member.