Taylor Townsend didn’t just win her second-round match at the U.S. Open — she made headlines for what happened after the final point, trading sharp words with Jelena Ostapenko at the net in a tense post-match exchange that lit up social media.
Townsend defeated Ostapenko 7-5, 6-1 on the hard courts of Flushing Meadows, but the match’s aftermath stole the spotlight.
During the handshake, Ostapenko allegedly told Townsend she had “no class and no education,” criticizing her for not apologizing after a net cord winner and for not warming up from the baseline.
“She told me that I have no education, no class and to see what happens if we play each other outside of the U.S. And I said I’m excited. Bring it. I’ve never been the one to back down from anything like that, but I just thought that it was really interesting,” Townsend said after the match.
Townsend, 27, brushed off the confrontation and said she believed Ostapenko’s behavior stemmed from frustration.
“I chalk that up to competition. I chalk it up to being upset. She pulled out all the stops to try and break the momentum and sometimes people do that, but it is what it is. Still, no beef. But like you guys saw, I’m not going to back down because you’re not going to insult me, especially after I carried myself a certain type of way with nothing but respect,” she said.
She added, “If I show you respect, I expect the same in return. That’s just how it is.”
Townsend also reminded reporters that she had already beaten Ostapenko outside the United States.
“I beat her in Canada, outside the U.S. I beat her in New York, inside the U.S., so let’s see what else she has to say.”
On Instagram, Townsend posted, “Brought the fire, some people can’t take the heat,” followed by “Onto the next! Love yall.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/DN4ZB2BDvt_/?hl=en&img_index=1
Ostapenko later responded on her own Instagram, accusing Townsend of disrespect and pointing to tennis etiquette as the root of her frustration.
Townsend said she found the entire situation “humorous” and dismissed the idea that she owed anyone an apology. She also rejected any suggestion that Ostapenko’s comments had racial undertones.
The heated moment has drawn attention beyond the tennis world, with the viral clip circulating widely online. Townsend will play her third-round match later this week.
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