Taylor Townsend enjoyed a memorable and lengthy stay at the US Open, despite mainly coming under the spotlight for her altercation with Jelena Ostapenko.
Ben Shelton criticized Ostapenko following her match with Townsend, after which the duo carried out a heated argument at the side of the court.
Townsend beat 25th seed Ostapenko 7-5, 6-1 in the second round of the US Open, with the latter sharing her frustration with the former about a lack of apology for a net cord during their match.
WTA doubles number one Townsend then shared insight into their discussion, revealing what she heard from the Latvian, who has since apologised.
“Some people say bad things,” said the American. “She told me I have no class, I have no education, and to see what happens when we get outside the US.”
Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty ImagesTaylor Townsend reveals what happened in the US Open locker room after incident with Jelena Ostapenko
Townsend issued a spiky Instagram post shortly after her win, and has now revealed what happened in the immediate aftermath on The Pivot Podcast.
Discussing Ostapenko’s final comment, Townsend explained: “I don’t know if it was a threat. I was just like I can’t wait.
“It’s an atmosphere difference [playing outside the US] but the one thing I can say that I love is that the people who support me support me everywhere.
“I have been to places I have never been like Singapore and I had people cheering for me. Like Abu Dhabi and Doha. So people who rock with me, rock with me.
“I am just like that is fine. But also I’m the kind of person that even if it’s just me out there I am going to be like ‘good job’.
“I did not know if she was trying to threaten or say that she would have better crowd support when she is outside the US. That’s fine, that’s cool.
“But the greatest thing was – and it was the most satisfying thing – was that when I got off the courts our lockers are right next to each other.
Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
“I hadn’t even gotten off the court yet, I was walking into Ashe because that’s where our lockers are, and her boyfriend was at transport. But she was gone.
“I was ready. I was like ‘let me come talk to you for a second’. I’m like let me have a conversation with you for a second, no cameras, let me talk to you.
“I was going to be honest and not disrespectful but be like ‘don’t you ever put your finger in my face’. That was the thing, the action.
“I was proud of the way I handled myself with my words, but when I watched it again I was like you are pointing at me like I am a child, don’t you ever put your finger in my face again.”
Taylor Townsend enjoys memorable US Open despite Jelena Ostapenko incident
Perhaps frustratingly for Townsend, her incident with Ostapenko is threatening to overshadow her efforts on the court.
It has somewhat taken away from not only her fantastic win, but also her superb run at Flushing Meadows in New York.
She knocked out Antonia Ruzic and Mirra Andreeva either side of the victory, before eventually losing to Barbora Krejcikova.
Her overall tournament incidentally progressed superbly, having started out with a quarterfinals exit in the mixed doubles, before finishing with a runner-up finish in the women’s doubles.