BBC presenter John Humphrys has received a volley of abuse after questioning the âBritishnessâ of Johanna Konta during a âhorribleâ interview about her playing into the history books at Wimbledon.
Listeners were outraged by Humphrysâ treatment of Konta, who appeared on his Radio 4 Today programme on Tuesday after she was knocked out of the SW19 semi-finals last week, in what was the best-ever showing for a British female tennis player at the tournament for 39 years.
The interview, listeners later wrote on Twitter, was not only âpatronisingâ but Humphrysâ assertions were âinaccurateâ and left him looking like a âfuckwitâ.
Konta, on the other hand, was praised for her composure.
Humphrysâ interview with the world No 4 got off to a rocky start after the radio host suggested the 26-year-old âcrashedâ out of the tournament, even though she lost to five-time winner and losing finalist Venus Williams.
He then asked her why it took her so long to rise up the tennis ranks, which Konta took in her stride, saying âthis is part of any athletes journey, nothing happens overnightâ.
He then suggested: âSomething happened to youâ.
Again, Konta, was measured in her response, explaining that she was âdefinitely going through a period where I needed to matureâ and that it had led to her being âstronger as a player and as a competitorâ.
Humphrys asked if the experience she was referring to was âlosingâ, but Konta said it was more than that, detailing how her tennis career had seen her âmoving continents, moving countriesâ and weathering âsome hard lossesâ, experience that gave her âthat much more to work with when I get into more and more difficult situations.â
Kontaâs talk of moving countries - she was born in Australia to Hungarian parents and moved to England age 14, becoming a British citizen in 2012 - led to Humphrysâ most controversial and inaccurate line of questioning.
He said: âYou talk about moving continents... thatâs the thing, we talk about you being British, but you were born in Hungary, Australian citizenship, and I seem to remember the Australian High Commissioner, when you were in the quarter finals, saying, âgreat to see an Aussie winâ, and we were saying, âgreat to see a Brit winâ... so what are you?â
Konta then walked Humphrys thorough her lineage, pointing out that she had âspent half my lifeâ living in the UK, before detailing her pride at representing Great Britain: âIâm a British citizen and Iâm incredibly proud to represent Great Britain and I have so officially since 2012, but I have personally since 2005, when I moved here. Iâve also represented GB at the Olympics, so Iâm definitely a British athlete.â
The question was seized upon by listeners as the ultimate insult to the tennis player who had âbrought joy to millions during Wimbledonâ.
Continuing with the theme of inaccuracy, Humphrys then questioned how Konta had been discovered as a future champion, given she was once ranked the â338th best junior player in Australiaâ.
Konta corrected Humphrys with an even-handed return, saying: âThatâs not entirely accurateâ, before stating that she had won the under 12 national title in her birth country.
The tennis ace further explained to the journalist that, in sports, things are often âmisleadingâ, that there areâhalf-truthsâ, then reiterated that she had a âgreat journeyâ though the tennis ranks and was really enjoying her place in the sport and âthe team around meâ.