Wimbledon after-party: Marion Bartoli shows off her beauty

Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli challenged a BBC commentator to meet her in her ‘ball gown and heels’ after he described her as ‘no looker’.
 
And last night, a stunning Miss Bartoli, 28, posed for photographers at the Champions’ Ball in London in a figure-hugging black dress.

French tennis player Marion Bartoli arrives for the Wimbledon Champions Dinner 2013, in London, Sunday, July 7, 2013. (AP)

A leading BBC sports presenter was deluged by a barrage of criticism on Saturday after he lambasted Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli for not being "a looker".

The BBC was forced to apologise after John Inverdale made his remarks on a radio programme following the Frenchwoman's 6-1, 6-4 win over Germany's Sabine Lisicki in the women's singles final.

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Inverdale reportedly told listeners: "Do you think Bartoli's dad told her when she was little, 'You're never going to be a looker, you'll never be a Sharapova, so you have to be scrappy and fight'?
The BBC issued a rapid apology.

"We accept that this remark was insensitive and for that we apologise," said a spokesman.

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Bartoli, 28, shrugged off the incident.

"It doesn't matter, honestly. I am not blonde, yes. That is a fact. Have I dreamt about having a model contract? No. I'm sorry.

"But have I dreamed about winning Wimbledon? Absolutely, yes."

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Inverdale insisted that he had meant his remarks to be light-hearted and said he was a great admirer of the French player who won her first Grand Slam title in her 47th major appearance.

"She is an incredible role model for people who aren't born with all the attributes of natural athletes," he said.

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Bartoli has never been one to do things the easy way.

She grew up outside the tennis mainstream, coached by her doctor father who had no background in the sport and yet gave up his job to teach his daughter how to become a professional.

Throughout her career Bartoli's game has been marked by bizarre routines as she jumps, skips, shuffles and twirls her racket before serving or returning.

Marion Bartoli of France poses with the Venus Rosewater Dish trophy and Andy Murray of Great Britain poses with the Gentlemen's Singles Trophy at the Wimbledon Championships 2013 Winners Ball at InterContinental Park Lane Hotel on July 7, 2013 in London, England. (GETTY)

She has never been afraid to speak her mind, falling out with French tennis chiefs, who banned her from last year's Olympics over their refusal to let Walter coach her while she was representing her country on Fed Cup duty.

But Bartoli is adamant her intense and passionate personality is an essential part of her game and won't be dulled by her success.

"Going through those hard moments makes this one even better," she said. "It will not change me as a person.

"It's always been a part of my personality to be different. I think being just like the others is kind of boring.