(Tennys Sandgren. Photo by Khall1323 via Wikimedia Commons.)

Tennis player Tennys Sandgren has apologized for homophobic tweets he posted in 2012 as he faces claims that he is a supporter of the alt-right movement.

In 2012 Sandgren tweeted “stumbled into a gay club last night…my eyes are still bleeding.”

When someone questions how he ended up in the club, Sandgren responds “what can I say the trannies were calling to me.”

LMAO @TennysSandgren now deleting tweets. The internet doesn’t forget. pic.twitter.com/wESYDr1j5i

— Matthew (@MRisingStar18) January 22, 2018

The 26-year-old, who is a quarterfinalist at the Australian Open, has now apologized tweeting, “In regards to the gay club tweet from 2012, I used poor and harsh words to describe a bad experience, and is not indicative of how I feel about the people in that community. To everyone I offended with that, pls accept my apology.”

In regards to the gay club tweet from 2012, I used poor and harsh words to describe a bad experience, and is not indicative of how I feel about the people in that community. To everyone I offended with that, pls accept my apology

— Tennys Sandgren (@TennysSandgren) January 25, 2018

Sandgren has purged his social media account after tweets were uncovered of the tennis player posting links to InfoWars, sharing links about Pizzagate and tweeting with far-right commentators.

Serena Williams called out Sandgren on social media saying that there is” an entire group of people that deserves an apology.”

@TennysSandgren I don’t need or want one. But there is a entire group of people that deserves an apology. I cant look at my daughter and tell her I sat back and was quiet. No! she will know how to stand up for herself and others- through my example. ✊? pic.twitter.com/im2NhoMdN4

— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) January 24, 2018

Sandgren did issue an apology saying that he was interested in alt-right ideas but ultimately went against them because they did not align with his Christian faith.

The New York Daily News reports that in a post-match press conference, Sandgren read out a statement addressing the controversy.

“With a handful of follows and some likes on Twitter, my fate has been sealed in your minds,” Sandgren said in the statement. “To write an edgy story, to create sensationalist coverage, there are a few lengths you wouldn’t go to to mark me as the man you desperately want me to be.”

He continued, “I’m more than happy to talk with people and let people know how I feel about things,” he said. “I’ve had to put the social media aside for now, I’ll take a look at it and I’ll take the criticism and I’ll take the good with the bad and keep learning and growing as a person and try to move forward.”