Jelena Ostapenko accused Taylor Townsend of having no education and no class in a fiery post-match exchange at the US Open.
The pair clashed in the second round at Flushing Meadows and then engaged in a finger-pointing row at the side of the court to loud boos from the crowd following Townsend’s 7-5 6-1 victory.
The American walked away before celebrating her upset of the 25th seed in full-hearted fashion.
‘It’s competition, people get upset when they lose and some people say bad things,’ said Townsend in her post-match interview.
‘She told me I have no class, I have no education and to see what happens when we get outside the US. I’m looking forward to it. I beat her in Canada outside the US so let’s see what else she has to say.’
Expanding on what happened later in her press conference, Townsend said: ‘I didn’t back down because you’re not going to insult me, especially after I carried myself a certain type of way with nothing but respect.
‘If I show respect to you, I expect respect as well. That’s just the fact of the matter. I think that that’s tennis. It was unfortunate, but it’s something I can put on my TikTok.’
Ostapenko did not do a post-match press conference but took to Instagram to explain her side, accusing Townsend of unsporting behaviour by not apologising for a shot that hit the top of the net and not warming up in the expected manner by practising volleys first.
‘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,’ said Ostapenko.
‘There are some rules in tennis which most of the players follow and it was (the) 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.’
Townsend refused to bite back, saying: ‘I think it’s comical. To then go online and have to justify what you said, you obviously feel some type of way and feel like you have to give an explanation for how you acted.’
Asked if she felt the comments had racist undertones, Townsend added: ‘I’m very proud as a black woman being out here representing myself and representing us and our culture.
‘I make sure that I do everything that I can to be the best representation possible every time that I step on the court and even off the court.
‘So I can’t speak on how she felt about it. That’s something that you’re going to have to ask her. I didn’t take it in that way, but also, that has been a stigma in our community of being not educated and all of the things when it’s the furthest thing from the truth.’
In a later post on Instagram, Ostapenko said: ‘I was never racist in my life and I respect all nations of people in the world.’
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka was given a test by Polina Kudermetova in the night session but came through 7-6 (4) 6-2 and will next face former finalist Leylah Fernandez.
