Tempers boiled over during the pair’s second-round match at Flushing Meadows.
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American tennis player Taylor Townsend has claimed Jelena Ostapenko told her she has “no class” and “no education” during a fiery post-match exchange at the US Open.
Tempers boiled over during the pair’s second round match at Flushing Meadows, culminating in a finger-pointing row at the side of the court following Townsend’s 7-5 6-1 victory.
Ostapenko accused her opponent, 29, of not apologising after a net cord went in her favour and the former French Open champion let her feelings known during a frosty handshake at the net.
Asked about the exchange during her on-court interview, Townsend said: “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.
“It’s competition, people get upset when they lose and some people say bad things.”
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Ostapenko, 28, left the court to a chorus of boos and later accused her opponent of being “disrespectful” and criticised her conduct during the warm-up.
On-court microphones picked up Townsend telling the 25th seed to “take the L [loss]” at the end of the match, before the world number one doubles player whipped up her home crowd into a frenzy by wildly celebrating with them.
In a now-deleted social media post, Ostapenko said: “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.
“If she plays in her homeland, it doesn’t mean that she can behave and do whatever she wants.”
Later in Townsend’s press conference, she was asked if there were racial undertones to the Latvian’s on-court remarks, to which she responded: “I’m very proud as a black woman being out here representing myself and representing us and our culture.
Townsend whipped her home crowd into a frenzy with wild celebrations.
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“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.”
Rejecting the claims of racism, Ostapenko said on a now-deleted post on her Instagram story: “Wow how many messages I received that I am a racist. 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.
“There are some rules in tennis and unfortunately when the crowd is with you, you can’t use it in disrespectful way to your opponent.
“Unfortunately for me coming from such a small country I don’t have that huge support and a chance to play in homeland. I always loved to play in the US and US Open but this is the first time someone is approaching the match this disrespectful way.”
Elsewhere on day four, 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.