FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. The 2025 U.S. Open delivered more than just tennis thrills on Wednesday it served up a heated showdown between Jelena Ostapenko and Taylor Townsend that left fans buzzing.
After the American, Townsend, sealed a straight-sets victory over Ostapenko 7-5, 6-1 in the second round, emotions quickly boiled over at the net. As Townsend, the women’s doubles world No. 1, reached out for the customary handshake, Ostapenko confronted her over a late shot that clipped the net but stayed in play a so-called net cord. Ostapenko felt Townsend should have apologized, but Townsend firmly disagreed, sparking a tense back-and-forth.
Things escalated when Ostapenko reportedly repeated “you have no education” three times. Townsend fired back, telling Ostapenko to “learn how to take a loss better,” before walking away to shake hands with the chair umpire and rally the crowd’s cheers for her triumph and Ostapenko’s exit. The Latvian packed up and left the grounds immediately after.
In a post-match chat with ESPN, Townsend said, “It’s competition, people get upset when they lose. Some people say bad things. She told me I have no class, no education, and then mentioned what would happen if we played outside the U.S. I’m actually looking forward to that. I already beat her in Canada.”
Ostapenko took to social media to defend herself, saying, “I told my opponent she was very disrespectful for not apologizing after a net ball at a crucial moment. There are unwritten rules in tennis most players follow, and this was a first for me. Just because she’s playing at home doesn’t mean she can behave however she wants.”
Townsend described Ostapenko’s outburst as typical for someone who struggles with losing and often shows her frustration openly. She added that trash talk is part of sports but refused to tolerate disrespect during a match watched by thousands in person and millions online.
“This isn’t personal,” Townsend said. “I just won’t accept disrespect in my face, especially in front of so many. I thought about how my young son would see this, and I want him to be proud. I’m proud to represent my culture as a Black woman and always aim to be the best version of myself on and off the court.”
Sharing her reaction on Instagram, Townsend wrote, “Brought the fire, some people can’t take the heat. Onto the next, love y’all!”
She also addressed the “no education” comment, saying it touches on a painful stereotype in her community a stigma she rejects. “But I let my racquet do the talking. I’m the one moving on in this tournament.”
Ostapenko later responded to accusations of racism circulating on social media. “I was NEVER racist in my life, and I respect all people everywhere,” she said. “This was about rules in tennis and behaving respectfully towards your opponent, not race.”
The Latvian also criticized Townsend’s warm-up routine near the net during the match’s start something typically avoided in professional tennis, though no explicit rule prohibits it. Townsend explained she’s warmed up this way since her junior days and wasn’t trying to unsettle Ostapenko. “It’s kind of funny that I’ve had to explain it online.”
Next up for Townsend is either Anastasia Potapova or fifth seed Mirra Andreeva in the U.S. Open’s third round.
“She’s gone, and I’m still here,” Townsend said with quiet satisfaction. “That’s all that matters.”
