“I let my racket talk”: Taylor Townsend takes the high road after Jelena Ostapenko says she has “no education, no class” at U.S. Open

Taylor Townsend and Jelena Ostapenko got into a heated confrontation following their tennis match at the U.S. Open, and now everyone is weighing in.

What happened between Taylor Townsend and Jelena Ostapenko?

Townsend beat Ostapenko in the second round of the competition this week, but the tension between the two carried over after the game.

Video captured Townsend approaching her opponent after the match to shake her hand, as is the norm. But things quickly devolved into something foul as Ostapenko looked to be angrily berating the other player.

“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, you know, I’m excited. Bring it,” Townsend later told reporters.

In another clip, Townsend could be heard responding, “You need to learn how to take a loss. Thank you so much. Great job. You’re a great player.”

Ostapenko’s side of the story

Ostapenko later posted a series of Instagram Stories claiming that she called Townsend disrespectful for declining to apologize over having “a net ball in a very deciding moment.”

A net ball occurs when the ball hits the top of the net but remains in play. It generally alters how the ball continues course and makes it difficult for the other player to return it. It’s not a purposeful move, and scoring a point that way is often considered more related to luck than skill, making it customary (but not required) to offer some sort of apologetic gesture.

“Her answer was that she doesn’t have to say sorry at all,” Ostapenko wrote. “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.”

Racist undertones and reactions

The confrontation—and specifically the word choices Ostapenko used—sparked accusations of racism. Although Townsend herself said that’s something only her opponent can speak on, she did acknowledge the undertones of the remarks.

“That has been a stigma in our community of being not educated and all the things, when it’s the furthest thing from the truth,” she said.

Folks online picked up on that as well, and were generally less measured than Townsend in their responses.

Ostapenko denied any whiff of racism on Instagram, claiming, “I was NEVER racist in my life” and again accused Townsend of being disrespectful during the match.

Fellow tennis player Aryna Sabalenka was also asked about the interaction between Ostapenko and Townsend. She noted having spoken to Ostapenko after the match, and agreed with one reporter’s suggestion that there may be other things going on in her life that spilled over onto the court.

“I just think she sometimes can lose control over her emotions,” she said. “I really hope that one day she will figure herself and handle herself better.”

Townsend, meanwhile, is taking things in stride and keeping the focus on what matters.

“The thing that I’m the most proud of is that I let my racket talk. Because ultimately I’m the one here sitting in front of you guys, moving on to the next round, getting the next check, moving on, being able to still be here and speak to you guys,” she said. “And that’s what’s the most important. She’s packed up and she’s gone. I’m here.”