Taylor Townsend Responds to Jelena Ostapenko’s Apology: “I Think That It’s a Learning Lesson”

SME News UK. Taylor Townsend has responded to Jelena Ostapenko’s public apology following their heated clash at the US Open, describing the Latvian’s earlier remarks as “hurtful,” “belligerent,” and “offensive,” but hoping the incident will serve as a “learning lesson.”The fallout stems from their second-round singles match earlier this week, when Ostapenko accused Townsend of having “no class” and “no education.” The 2017 French Open champion later took to Instagram to apologise, clarifying that English is not her first language and that she had been referring to tennis etiquette rather than formal education.“Hi all – I wanted to apologise for some of the things I said during my second-round singles match,” Ostapenko wrote. “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 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.”While Townsend noted she has not heard directly from Ostapenko, she welcomed the gesture and stressed the importance of reflection.“That’s nice that she did that, that she apologised,” Townsend said. “At the end of the day, I think that it’s a learning lesson for her. You cannot push your expectations on other people. That’s ultimately what happened. She expected me to react in a certain type of way, and I didn’t, and it infuriated her, which led her to say things that are hurtful, that are offensive—not only to me, but to the sport and to a whole culture of people.”Townsend added that Ostapenko’s outburst was not surprising given her history of emotional reactions on court, but said she hopes this experience encourages her to focus on herself rather than others.“You can’t get upset if someone doesn’t do something that you want them to do,” Townsend said. “Ultimately, when we get our emotions wrapped up in things is where we get our feelings hurt. I think that’s ultimately what happened. It’s great she went to social media and apologised. I really hope from this she can take that, ‘Hey, you can’t control people and it’s better just to focus on yourself.’”The controversy has sparked broader conversations within the tennis world. Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, called Ostapenko’s initial comments “one of the worst things you could say to a Black tennis player,” while fellow American Ben Shelton described them as “crazy.”Ostapenko’s campaign at Flushing Meadows ended Thursday following a doubles loss with partner Barbora Krejcikova. Townsend, meanwhile, advances to the fourth round of singles, where she will face Krejcikova on Sunda.