The 70-year-old former US Open and French Open men’s single champion caused controversy at the Tenis Club IDU in Constanta when he was overheard making a comment about Serena Williams’ unborn baby’s skin colour on April 21, saying: “Let’s see what colour milk it has. Chocolate with milk.”

African American Williams, who is having the baby with her white fiancé Alexis Ohanian, described his comments as “racist”.

After the comments were reported, he stormed into the press room at the venue and called Press Association tennis correspondent Eleanor Crooks “stupid”.

Nastase was then ejected from the venue after swearing at the match umpire, Britain’s captain Anne Keothavong and player Johanna Konta, calling the latter two “f****** bitches”.

This eventually led to the rubber to be suspended for 25 minutes when Konta was reduced to tears after a comment was made from a member of the crowd.

An investigation is being conducted by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) over the remarks and they also banned Nastase from the remainder of the match, which Romania won.

Today, Nastase posted an apology on Facebook, saying although he thinks things were “exaggerated by all”, he was sorry.

“I will not attempt to defend my words, but I can assure you they only stemmed from my genuine desire to defend the Romanian team and Romanian tennis,” he said.

“I am fully aware that nothing can truly excuse my statements – not the tension of a high-stakes game, not my traditionally irreverent attitude, not the unfortunate escalation of the situation.

“My life remains dedicated to tennis and its audiences, so please accept my apologies, for whatever they may be worth right now.”

However, in an interview with the BBC after he posted his statement, Nastase said he would quit if he is punished by the ITF.

“If I am not allowed to go and sit in that chair, I’m going to go,” he said.

“I’ve got other things.

“I’ve a lot of businesses.

“I just said the same to the [Romanian] Federation, because the girls, they want me in the chair.”

In his Facebook post, Nastase criticise Konta for her actions during her rubber with Sorana Cirstea, adding he does not know why he was thrown out of the match.

“Joanna Konta had no right to speak to the chairman, the team captain is the only one who can do this,” Nastase said.

“I asked the chairman for some explanations in a civilized manner, but he sent me to the stand.

In the stand, they withdrew my status as captain of the Romanian team and I became a simple spectator.

“After this, the referee suspended the match.

“I do not understand why he did it and based on what point from the regulation?”

He went onto say he respects Williams and described his remarks as genuinely off the cuff.

“At that press conference, I was asked about Serena’s pregnancy,” he said.

“That was the first time I had heard about her pregnancy, and my reaction was spontaneous.”

In his interview with the BBC, he said that the term he used to describe Williams’ baby is not “considered racist” in Romania.