Ostapenko had accused Townsend of being “very disrespectful” for not apologizing after a net-cord winner on a crucial point and referred to the American as a player with “no education.” The comment was reportedly interpreted as racially insensitive, prompting Ostapenko to address the matter publicly on social media.

“Hi all – I wanted to apologise for some of the things I said during my second-round singles match,” Ostapenko wrote on Instagram. “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. 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”.

After last Wednesday’s controversial incident, Ostapenko found herself in the spotlight for her behavior, drawing criticism from Naomi Osaka and prompting comments from several other players on the tour.

Ben Shelton backs Townsend

Ben Shelton, Townsend’s mixed doubles partner at the tournament, spoke after his second-round win over Pablo Carreño Busta. He admitted he didn’t fully understand all the details but suggested Ostapenko’s reaction in front of the New York crowd might not have been ideal.

“Yeah, I didn’t completely hear or understand everything that happened,” Shelton told reporters. “Yeah, I guess some shocking comments towards her. Not the smartest thing to say to an American in New York City, but she handled her business”.

Even without knowing the full context, Shelton emphasized his support for Townsend, with whom he reached the mixed doubles quarterfinals before falling to Daniil Medvedev and Mirra Andreeva.

“Always gonna back Taylor. I don’t know exactly what happened during the match, but just happy for her that she’s, you know, making a run and in the singles draw, we didn’t do what we wanted to do in the mix. So she’s definitely making up for it. And like she said, after the match, she spoke with a racket and yeah, just happy to see her winning,” he added.

Ostapenko and Townsend drew attention when tensions flared following the American’s 7–5, 6–1 victory. After the match, Ostapenko accused Townsend of being “very disrespectful” for not apologizing after a net-cord winner at a crucial moment and for failing to follow standard warm-up procedures.

Reports also suggested that racist comments may have been made during the altercation, though Ostapenko strongly denied those claims on her social media account.

Speaking after her own victory against Hailey Baptiste, Osaka made her stance clear. “I mean, it’s really difficult to say. I think obviously it’s one of the worst things you can say to a Black tennis player in a majority White sport,” Osaka told reporters. “And granted, 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”.

Osaka added that Ostapenko has a history of controversial remarks. “But if you’re like genuinely asking me about the history of Ostapenko, I don’t think that’s the craziest thing she’s said. I’m going to be honest,” she added. The controversy has quickly become one of the most discussed storylines of the week, with other players such as Ben Shelton also weighing in.

Ostapenko responds to the criticism

The 2017 French Open champion faced heavy backlash online, with many accusing her of racist remarks. Ostapenko responded in a since-deleted Instagram post, denying the allegations.

“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 [a] disrespectful way to your opponent,” she wrote.

After the match, the players had a tense encounter at the net during the customary post-match handshake. Ostapenko accused Townsend of being “very disrespectful” for not apologizing after a net-cord winner on a crucial point and for failing to follow standard warm-up procedures.

Shelton, Townsend’s mixed doubles partner at the tournament, spoke after his straight-sets win over Pablo Carreño Busta. He admitted he didn’t fully understand everything that had happened but said Ostapenko’s reaction in front of a New York crowd may not have been the best approach.

“Yeah, I didn’t completely hear or understand everything that happened,” Shelton told the press. “Yeah, I guess some shocking comments towards her. Not the smartest thing to say to an American in New York City, but she handled her business”.

Even though he wasn’t fully aware of the details, Shelton made it clear he was backing Townsend, with whom he recently reached the mixed doubles quarterfinals before falling to Daniil Medvedev and Mirra Andreeva.

“Always gonna back Taylor. I don’t know exactly what happened during the match, but just happy for her that she’s, you know, making a run and in the singles draw, we didn’t do what we wanted to do in the mix. So she’s definitely making up for it. And like she said, after the match, she spoke with a racket and yeah, just happy to see her winning,” he added.

Frances Tiafoe weighs in

World No. 17 Frances Tiafoe also commented on the heated exchange between Townsend and Ostapenko at the US Open, but unlike his compatriot Shelton, “Big Foe” did not take sides.

Tiafoe admitted he wasn’t fully aware of the details of the altercation but emphasized that there’s no need to escalate conflict after a loss. He did, however, congratulate Townsend on advancing to the next round.

“I mean, I can’t speak too much to it, but I don’t like… no need to go there. If you lost, you lost. Keep pushing,” Tiafoe told reporters after his second-round victory. “I got to see the video. I don’t know what really happened. But I mean, no reason to ever go there. Keep it about tennis. When I see the video, maybe next time around I’ll have something more to say, but shout-out to Taylor, good job”.

To shed light on the incident, US Open reporter asked Townsend about her perspective. Her response was candid: “It’s competition, you know. People get upset when they lose. Some people say unpleasant things. She told me I have no class, no education, and mentioned that we’ll see what happens outside the US,” Townsend explained.

Townsend did not hesitate to address Ostapenko’s comments boldly. “I’m looking forward to it. I beat her in Canada, outside the US, and I beat her in New York, still outside the US, so let’s see what else she has to say,” Townsend remarked.

The US Open has witnessed several tense moments this year, including Daniil Medvedev’s frustration. After losing in the first round, he broke his racket in an outburst of anger in full view of the stadium audience.

Ostapenko’s perspective on exchange with Townsend

Following the comments made by the American tennis player regarding her encounter with Latvian standout, the latter took to social media to address the situation. Ostapenko clarified why she reacted like that and echoed the sentiments shared by her American counterpart.

“I told my opponent that she was very disrespectful, as she had a net ball in a very decisive moment and didn’t apologize. Her response was that she doesn’t have to say sorry at all. There are certain unwritten rules in tennis that most players adhere to, and it was the first time I experienced this on tour. Just because she’s playing in her homeland doesn’t mean she can behave or act however she wishes,“ Ostapenko wrote on her Instagram account.

She further elaborated: “At the start of the match, all players are expected to begin their warm-up from the baseline. However, my opponent started straight away from the net, which is very disrespectful and goes against the conventional conduct of a tennis match.“

Sabalenka weighs in on the exchange

Even Aryna Sabalenka was drawn into the discussion surrounding the incident between Ostapenko and Townsend, which saw the American advance to the third round of the US Open and created significant buzz.

“I spoke to Jelena after the match. Well, I have to say that she’s nice. She just sometimes can lose control. She has some challenges in life and struggles to face,” Sabalenka commented on Ostapenko when queried by the media about the exchange.

[Watch Jelena Ostapenko vs Cori Gauff for FREE in the US on Fubo]

She was among the favorites to make it to the top eight in the tournament, and she has lived up to those expectations. Cori Gauff has made consistent progress in the tournament, even though she encountered some complications with a few matches that went to three sets. Nevertheless, she has demonstrated the necessary resilience to reach this stage.

Now, the local player is determined to secure a spot in the tournament’s top four. To achieve that, she must defeat Jelena Ostapenko, who is currently ranked 20th in the world. The Latvian player comes into this match after causing a major upset in the tournament by eliminating Iga Swiatek, and she is now looking to eliminate another top-10 player.

When will Jelena Ostapenko vs Cori Gauff be played?

The match for the 2023 US Open quarterfinal between Jelena Ostapenko and Cori Gauff take place this Tuesday, September 5 at 12:00 PM.

Jelena Ostapenko vs Cori Gauff: Time by State in the US

ET: 12:00 PM
CT: 11:00 AM
MT: 10:00 AM
PT: 9:00 AM

How to watch Jelena Ostapenko vs Cori Gauff

This match for the 2023 US Open quarterfinal between Jelena Ostapenko and Cori Gauff can be watched in the United States on Fubo (free trial). Other options: Tennis Channel.

[Watch Yelena Rybakina vs Jeļena Ostapenko online free in the US on Fubo]

The world number 7, the Kazakh Yelena Rybakina, has just eliminated the world number 1, Iga Swiantek, in the quarterfinals, in a match that was very even and had to be defined in the third set, but after 2- 2 the Polish could not continue and lost her match by retirement.

Now Rybakina has a great opportunity ahead of her as she is the highest ranked player still in the tournament. Her rival will be the Latvian number 20 in the world Jelena Ostapenko, who had a difficult quarterfinal match against the Spanish Badosa and now will seek to reach the final.

When will Yelena Rybakina vs Jeļena Ostapenko be played?

The match for the 2023 Italian Open semifinal between Yelena Rybakina and Jeļena Ostapenko will take place today, May 19 at 1:00 AM (ET).

Yelena Rybakina vs Jeļena Ostapenko: Time by State in the US

ET: 1:00 PM
CT: 12:00 PM
MT: 11:00 AM
PT: 10:00 AM

How to watch Yelena Rybakina vs Jeļena Ostapenko

This match for the 2023 Italian Open semifinal between Yelena Rybakina and Jeļena Ostapenko can be watched in the United States on Fubo (free trial). Other options: Tennis TV.