Moroccan tennis player Reda Bennani apologised to fans after a gesture made following his victory over Spain’s Javier Barranco Cosano sparked controversy.
Bennani beat Barranco 6-3, 6-4 in the quarter-finals of the M25 Denia tournament in Spain on Friday to reach the semi-finals.
In a video posted on social media, Bennani said the gesture did not reflect his upbringing or values.
He said tensions had carried over from a previous match the week before, when he alleged that his opponent insulted him, his family and Morocco in Spanish.
Bennani said the abuse caused him to lose his temper during their latest meeting, but added that it did not excuse his reaction.
He accepted full responsibility and said he had learned from the incident.
The Moroccan player ended his message by apologising again to supporters and promising to conduct himself better in future tournaments, both on and off the court.
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