🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
Sara Bejlek, a 16-year-old tennis player from Czechia, has responded to outrage following her win in the final qualifying round of the 2022 U.S. Open on August 26.
On Monday, a video of the Czech athlete celebrating her win with her father and coach went viral as they were filmed repeatedly patting her behind as they embraced.
In the viral clip, Bejlek's father was also seen giving his daughter a kiss on the lips.
The footage exploded on social media, with many viewers labeling the interaction inappropriate and uncomfortable.
La célébration de Sara Bejlek (16 ans) après sa qualif pour le tableau principal enflamme les réseaux sociaux à travers le monde. Il s'agit de son père et de son coach. pic.twitter.com/zfhFgRGbql
— Tennis Break News (@tennisbreaknews) August 27, 2022
Bejlek has now addressed the situation and said that the celebration was "spontaneous" but confirmed that it will not be happening again.
"Of course I saw the video," she told iSport. "It was a spontaneous reaction of the entire team. We rejoiced. It may certainly seem inconvenient and uncomfortable to some, but we have already discussed it with the team. It won't happen again."
Bejlek added: "Dad is my dad and always will be. And I've known the coach since I was eight years old. He tapes me, he massages me.
"If something similar happened in the Czech Republic, no one would deal with it. But since we are in America, everyone comments on it. But as I say, we talked and it won't happen again."
According to a Czech tourism site, patting women on the butt is apparently a sign of good luck and a typical way of showing affection.
In fact, the country even has an Easter Monday tradition that involves men lightly whipping women on the buttocks.
It is known as pomlázka, and is thought to date back to at least 700 years, before the arrival of Christianity in the country. The young men taking part use whips made from willow twigs and the tradition was thought to help improve women's health and fertility during the coming year.
According to a 2019 survey by Median, a Czech market research company, about 60 percent of households in the country still follow the tradition.
The Czech Embassy in Washington D.C. defended Bejlek's father's actions and said that the celebration has not been an issue in their home country.
A representative from the Czech Embassy told DailyMail.com that the viral moment "hasn't been an issue in the Czech media at all."
"It's a personal issue, each family would be different," the representative said. "It differs from family to family."
Bejlek defeated Britain's Heather Watson on Friday but her win was overshadowed by the backlash to her and her father's celebrations.
The athlete made her U.S. Open main draw debut on Tuesday, losing to Russia's Ludmilla Samsonova in straight sets.
