Taylor Townsend and Jelena Ostapenko were involved in a heated exchange at the end of their second-round match on Wednesday at the US Open.<\/p>\n
The two met at the net for post-match handshakes after Townsend had completed a 7-5, 6-1 victory. But instead of heading to the locker rooms, they exchanged words and Ostapenko wagged her finger at her American opponent. The home crowd appeared to get behind Townsend and she approached the stands spurring them on as the noise rose on Court 11.<\/p>\n
After the match, Ostapenko said in an Instagram story that she had been unhappy with Townsend\u2019s conduct before and during her victory.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday after the match I told my opponent that she was very disrespectful as she had a net ball in a very deciding [moment] and didn\u2019t say [sorry], but her answer was that she doesn\u2019t have to say sorry at all,\u201d Ostapenko said. \u201cThere 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\u2019t mean that she can behave and do whatever she wants.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cIn the beginning of the match all players are supposed to start warm up on the baseline. The opponent came out and straight away started the warm up at then which is very disrespectful and against the rules of a tennis match.\u201d<\/p>\n
For her part, Townsend said Ostapenko had insulted her at the post-match handshake. \u201cShe told me I have no class, no education, and to see what happens when we get outside the US,\u201d Townsend said. \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to it. I beat her in Canada outside the US. So let\u2019s see what else she has to say.\u201d<\/p>\n
Townsend, a world No 1 in doubles but currently ranked outside the top 100 in singles, suggested the No 25 seed Ostapenko was angry at the upset. \u201cI mean, it\u2019s competition,\u201d Townsend said. \u201cPeople get upset when they lose.\u201d<\/p>\n
In her post-match press conference Townsend, who is Black, would not be drawn on whether there was a racial component to Ostapenko\u2019s comments.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s something you\u2019re going to have to ask her,\u201d said Townsend. \u201cI didn\u2019t take it in that way but also that has been a stigma in [the Black] community of being not educated … when it\u2019s the furthest thing from the truth. So whether it had racial undertones or not, that\u2019s something she can speak on. The only thing that I\u2019m worried about right now is continuing to move forward through this tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ostapenko later denied any allegations of racism. \u201cI was NEVER racist in my life and I respect all nations of people in the world. For me it doesn\u2019t matter where you come from,\u201d she said in a social media post. She also wrote about \u201chow many messages I received that I am a racist.\u201d<\/p>\n