Sara Bejlek’s Grand Slam debut has seemingly been completely overshadowed by what happened with her father and coach when her game was over.

The 16-year-old tennis star from Czechia, who won her qualifying match, was seen shaking hands with her opponent before going to celebrate her victory with her dad Jaroslav Bejlek and coach Jakub Kahoun. As the two men embraced the girl, they could be seen patting her backside, which sent social media into a tailspin.

Watch:

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

Many people decried the action as inappropriate, with some going even further to imply something untoward may be going on behind the scenes:

They must do things a bit differently in Czechia because a middle-aged man would not get away with grabbing the backside of his 16-year-old player in the states. I hope this guy isn’t having anymore private “practices” with this poor girl. https://t.co/IzK7Qcqi8l

— Achenrocker 🇺🇸🇨🇱 (@achenrocker) August 30, 2022

My dad doesn’t grab my butt when he kisses me…hands are on my shoulders or upper back

— crism (@crismoks) August 30, 2022

This touching is over the top

— URSTRULY 🇺🇸 (@Lpac2017) August 30, 2022

You don’t touch a 16 year olds ass unless you’re a 16 year old! Lol
Seems like old ass white dudes hang out at the middle school.

— George Wheat (@georgewheat10) August 30, 2022

I just watched the full video and… eeww creepy indeed. #sarabejlek https://t.co/NU7uRdr2rk

— Alana Jackson (@AnarchistState3) August 30, 2022

However, there was a large group of people who claim that this behavior was not inappropriate at all and is just a different culture doing what they do:

Literally none of these photos show anything inappropriate. Completely normal in Czech.

Instead of being offended on her behalf, why not ask how she feels about it?

— The Internet’s Conscience (@kbootses) August 31, 2022

They’re from Czech, not from the west. It’s YOU people who are interpreting it from your cultural perspective. It doesn’t mean that in THEIR culture. All for respecting cultural differences…until it doesn’t suite you, right?

— cy12 (@cy12) August 31, 2022

Other countries, other households, other cultures in our big World are not the same as Americans and their faux puritanical standards. To the father, she’ll always be his little girl. We’re not accustom to this but it’s not that creepy. Just different. #SaraBejlek

— Coach Tim Ozga – Ordinary Citizen (@DTim20) August 31, 2022

What a world we live in. There are real human beings out there that look at these actions as child molestation and not, what it actually is, a father overjoyed with his 16 year old child qualifying for the #USOpen #sarabejlek #tennis https://t.co/8JJo3xT9xc

— Linda (Mags) (@magsloveslife2) August 31, 2022

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Sierra Marlee

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Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to BizPac Review.

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