• Source:JND
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US Open 2025: Taylor Townsend defeated Jelena Ostapenko 7-5, 6-1 in the second round of the US Open 2025, but the American's victory was overshadowed by a heated exchange between the two players at Court 11 on Thursday.

During the post-match handshake, Ostapenko wagged her finger at Taylor Townsend and unleashed a verbal jab, stating that the American player had "no class" and "no education."

Adding fuel to the controversy, Townsend later revealed the comments to reporters. The dispute between Townsend and Ostapenko stemmed from two incidents. First, Ostapenko expected Townsend to apologise for the net-cord winner shot, considering it a matter of sportsmanship.

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Secondly, Ostapenko felt Townsend's decision to warm up at the net was against tennis rules and disrespectful. Ostapenko's frustration boiled over after the match, where she confronted Townsend and it led to loud boos from the New York crowd.

“It’s competition — people get upset when they lose. Some say bad things. She told me I have no class, no education, and warned me to see what happens outside the US,” Townsend said in an on-court interview after the match.

Watch the video here:

Later in a social media post, Ostapenko clarified that her comments were not meant to be racist.

“After the match I told my opponent that she was very disrespectful. She had a net cord in a crucial moment and didn’t apologize. Her response was that she doesn’t have to say sorry at all. There are certain rules in tennis that most players follow, and this was the first time I experienced such behaviour on tour. Just because she is playing in her homeland doesn’t mean she can act however she wants," Ostapenko posted on social media.

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In her second Instagram story, Ostapenko stated, "At 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 the net, which is very disrespectful and against the rules of a tennis match."