Latvian tennis star Jelena Ostapenko has strongly denied accusations of racism following a fiery confrontation with American player Taylor Townsend during the US Open.
The incident unfolded after Townsend defeated Ostapenko 7-5, 6-1 in the second round at Flushing Meadows. As the players met near the side of the court, Ostapenko was seen pointing a finger at her opponent while boos rang out from the New York crowd, Sky News reports. Cameras captured the exchange, though the conversation itself was not clearly audible.
One widely shared video showed Townsend walking away and remarking: “You can learn to take a loss better,” before leaving the court. The tense scene immediately drew speculation online, with fans questioning what had been said.
Allegations surface
Townsend later claimed Ostapenko told her she had “no class” and “no education,” as well as warning her to “see what happens when we get outside the US.” While Townsend did not explicitly accuse her opponent of racism, she acknowledged when asked in a press conference that such remarks could be viewed through a racial lens.
“As a Black woman, I’m very proud to be out here representing myself and our culture,” Townsend said. “There’s always been a stigma in our community about being uneducated, which couldn’t be further from the truth. I can’t say how she meant it, that’s something you’ll have to ask her, but I didn’t personally take it that way.”
Townsend also pointed out that she had already beaten Ostapenko in Canada last year, suggesting her rival’s comment about playing outside the US held little weight.
Ostapenko defends herself
Ostapenko, currently ranked 26th in the world, did not hold a traditional press conference after the loss but later issued a response on her Instagram stories. In a lengthy statement, she rejected the racism allegations and instead accused Townsend of being disrespectful on court.
“Wow, how many messages I received that I am a racist,” she wrote. “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. Unfortunately, when the crowd is with you, you can’t use it in a disrespectful way to your opponent.”
The 2017 French Open champion also criticised Townsend for not apologising after a shot clipped the net and for not warming up in the expected fashion. She added: “If she plays in her homeland, it doesn’t mean she can behave and do whatever she wants.”
A history of tense encounters
This is not the first time Ostapenko and Townsend have crossed paths. The American beat her comprehensively at the Canadian Open in 2024, while the two also clashed in doubles this season. Townsend and Katerina Siniakova defeated Ostapenko and Hsieh Su-wei in January to win the Australian Open title, but Ostapenko and Hsieh got their revenge at Wimbledon by winning their semi-final meeting.
The fiery US Open exchange also comes amid a string of high-profile on-court spats in the women’s game. In June, Yulia Putintseva and Maria Sakkari traded insults after a tense match in Germany, highlighting the increasingly emotional and combative atmosphere on the WTA Tour.
For now, Ostapenko insists she has been misunderstood, but the fallout from her clash with Townsend has ensured her US Open exit will be remembered as much for controversy as for tennis.