Taylor Townsend and Jelena Ostapenko were involved in a heated exchange at the end of their second-round match on Wednesday at the US Open.
The two met at the net for post-match handshakes after Townsend had completed a 7-5, 6-1 victory. But instead of heading to the locker rooms, they exchanged words and Ostapenko wagged her finger at her American opponent. The home crowd appeared to get behind Townsend and she approached the stands spurring them on as the noise rose on Court 11.
After the match, Ostapenko said in an Instagram story that she had been unhappy with Townsend’s conduct before and during her victory.
“Today after the match I told my opponent that she was very disrespectful as she had a net ball in a very deciding [moment] and didn’t say [sorry], but her answer was that she doesn’t have to say sorry at all,” Ostapenko said. “There are some rules in tennis which most of the players follow and it was first time ever that this happened to me on tour. If she plays in her homeland it doesn’t mean that she can behave and do whatever she wants.”
She added: “In the beginning of the match all players are supposed to start warm up on the baseline. The opponent came out and straight away started the warm up at then which is very disrespectful and against the rules of a tennis match.”
For her part, Townsend said Ostapenko had insulted her at the post-match handshake. “She told me I have no class, no education, and to see what happens when we get outside the US,” Townsend said. “I’m looking forward to it. I beat her in Canada outside the US. So let’s see what else she has to say.”
Townsend, a world No 1 in doubles but currently ranked outside the top 100 in singles, suggested the No 25 seed Ostapenko was angry at the upset. “I mean, it’s competition,” Townsend said. “People get upset when they lose.”
In her post-match press conference Townsend, who is Black, would not be drawn on whether there was a racial component to Ostapenko’s comments.
“That’s something you’re going to have to ask her,” said Townsend. “I didn’t take it in that way but also that has been a stigma in [the Black] community of being not educated … when it’s the furthest thing from the truth. So whether it had racial undertones or not, that’s something she can speak on. The only thing that I’m worried about right now is continuing to move forward through this tournament.”
Ostapenko later denied any allegations of racism. “I was NEVER racist in my life and I respect all nations of people in the world. For me it doesn’t matter where you come from,” she said in a social media post. She also wrote about “how many messages I received that I am a racist.”
Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion, has riled opponents in the past. At Wimbledon in 2021, Ajla Tomljanovic accused the Latvian of pretending to be injured when she requested a medical timeout. Ostapenko went on to call the Australian “the worst player on tour”.
Townsend will play No 5 seed Mirra Andreeva in the third-round.
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