Jelena Ostapenko has issued a public apology following controversial remarks made during her second-round loss at the US Open, in which she described opponent Taylor Townsend as having “no education” and “no class.” The incident sparked widespread discussion across the tennis community, with fellow players, including Naomi Osaka, weighing in.
The Latvian No. 25 seed confronted Townsend at the net after her 7-5, 6-1 defeat, continuing the argument post-match. Townsend, who is Black, told ESPN that Ostapenko’s comments were both offensive and inappropriate. While Ostapenko took to Instagram to apologise, she did not directly address Townsend in her statement. She wrote: “Hi all – I wanted to apologise for some of the things I said during my second-round singles match. 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.”
In her initial post-match statement, Ostapenko defended her actions, claiming her opponent “was very disrespectful as she had a net ball in a very deciding moment and didn’t say sorry at all.” She added: “There are some rules in tennis that most of the players follow, and it was the first time that this happened to me on tour. If she plays in her homeland, it doesn’t mean that she can behave and do whatever she wants.”
The controversy drew comments from Naomi Osaka, who publicly defended Townsend and highlighted the racial undertones of Ostapenko’s remarks. “It’s one of the worst things you can say to a Black tennis player in a majority White sport,” Osaka said. “I know Taylor and I know how hard she’s worked and I know how smart she is, so she’s the furthest thing from uneducated or anything like that. I think it’s ill-timing and the worst person you could have ever said it to. And I don’t know if she knows the history of it in America.”
Ostapenko concluded her apology with a reflection on personal growth, writing, “I appreciate the support as I continue to learn and grow as a person and a tennis player. Goodbye New York and I look forward to being back next year.”
Taylor Townsend holds the World No. 139 position in the WTA singles rankings. Her highest career singles ranking was No. 46, achieved on 19th August 2024.
In doubles, Townsend is currently the World No. 1, a position she attained on 28th July 2025. She has won 10 WTA doubles titles, including two Grand Slam titles: Wimbledon in 2024 and the Australian Open in 2025, both with partner Kateřina Siniaková.
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