Latvian tennis player Jelena Ostapenko has issued an apology for comments she made to American Taylor Townsend during their second-round match at the US Open. The incident, which sparked a significant social media backlash, saw Ostapenko accuse Townsend of having "no class" and "no education" following their handshake at the net.
The controversy began after Townsend, who is Black, defeated the 2017 French Open champion 7-5, 6-1. The verbal spat was first revealed by Townsend in her on-court interview and a subsequent press conference, where she raised questions about whether there were any "racial undertones" to the altercation. In her own defense, Ostapenko stated on Instagram that her anger was a reaction to Townsend not apologizing for a net cord that helped her win a point, an act considered to be a long-standing tradition of tennis etiquette.
The incident drew comments from four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, who said that using the words Ostapenko did was particularly hurtful when directed at a Black player. On Saturday, Ostapenko released a statement to address the controversy. "I wanted to apologise for some of the things I said during my second-round singles match," she posted.
"English is not my native language, so when I said education, I was speaking only about what I believe as tennis etiquette, but I understand how the words I used could have offended many people beyond the tennis court," Ostapenko explained. She concluded by appreciating the support she has received while she continues to "learn and grow as a person and a player."
Townsend, who will face Barbora Krejcikova in the fourth round, said she accepted the apology. "That's fine. That's cool," she stated. "At the end of the day, I think that it’s a lesson for her... you can’t push your expectations on other people." Townsend added that the incident has provided her with a bigger platform, allowing more people to "go back and go into my history and follow my journey."
