Your next winner on "Loud Mouthed American Celebrity Type" .... Justin Gimelstob!! Come on down, champ. Gimelstob, a 31-year-old professional tennis player, decided to go off on some semi-profane, on-air rant this week, discussing the lustability factor of various female tennis players and then slanging mud all over Anna Kournikova's fine name. Gimelstob ... let rip during an interview on US radio, which included describing Czech star Nicole Vaidisova as "a well developed young lady", and calling French pin-ups Tatiana Golovin and Alize Cornet "sexpots".Well, clearly the comments were unnecessary. Fortunately, Serena took the high road in describing them, and inferring that the entire scenario more or less degraded the entire notion of women's rights. Which it does.
As well as calling Kournikova "a bitch", he claimed female players "lack the social skills, they don't go to high school, they don't go to parties".
But former world number one [Serena] Williams, who reached the last 16 of Wimbledon on Friday, said Gimelstob's comments were unnecessary ...
"Being pro-women's rights, I just think we've come farther than to be referred to like this," said Williams.
"Anna is a great girl. For anyone to say that about her is not professional. It's just totally uncalled for."
Harsh Words for Female Stars
Justin Gimelstob, a 31-year-old veteran of the men's tour, showed no mercy in his rant on Anna Kournikova and others during a radio interview. The American player called the former star "a bitch" and later insulted her looks, saying "She has a great body but her face is a five (out of ten)."
Matthew Stockman, Getty Images
Despite Gimelstob's harsh rip, the 27-year-old Russian beauty took the high road and did not chastise him in return. Kournikova, who will face Gimelstob during the American team tennis series, said "It's not about these things; it's about keeping it fun and positive for the fans."
Gustavo Caballero, Getty Images
Even though Kournikova wasn't rattled, eight-time Grand Slam champ Serena Williams wasn't about to let Gimelstob sound off uncontested. "Being pro-women's rights, I just think we've come farther than to be referred to like this," said Williams. "It's just totally uncalled for."
David Vincent, AP
Nicole Vaidisova was also the victim of Gimelstob's on-air tirade. The top-25 player was called "a well-developed young lady," but Vaidisova claimed she was unoffended by the remark. "I know he kind of talks like that a little bit. So I can cut him some slack," Vaidisova said.
Gustavo Caballero, Getty Images
French player Alize Cornet, who recently rose to No. 17 in the latest WTA rankings, was called "a little sexpot" during Gimelstob's interview. The
18-year-old player is coming off a successful run at the French Open where she reached the third round.
Jacques Demarthon, AFP / Getty Images
Tatiana Golovin, a 20-year-old French star, was the fourth target of Gimelstob's outburst. The No. 21-ranked player, who has been featured on the cover of FHM magazine, was also called a "sexpot" during the rant.
Frank Fife, AFP / Getty Images
Of course, Gimelstob isn't new to the media scene or to the "outspoken" scene either; he wrote for SI.com under the tagline of "outspoken tennis pro," so I guess we knew what we were getting. Still, Justin, dude, you gotta know when you call a girl a "B" on air, things are not going to end well for you. Even with all that sexpot stuff aside.
But wait ... he wasn't done!
