US Open 2025: Jelena Ostapenko apologizes to Taylor Townsend for ‘no class’ comments after their match

After losing to Taylor Townsend in the second round of the US Open this week, Jelena Ostapenko told Townsend that she had “no class” and “no education.” On Saturday, Ostapenko issued an apology, claiming her comments were the result of English not being her first language.

The pair got into a heated confrontation after Townsend won their match in straight sets. Ostapenko was angry that Townsend, a Black American woman, had not apologized for a net cord during their match.

“Yeah, I mean, you know, it’s competition,” Townsend said after the confrontation. “People get upset when they lose. Some people say bad things. She told me I have no class, I have no education and to see what happens when we get outside the U.S. So I’m looking forward to it. I mean, I beat her in Canada, outside the U.S. I beat her in New York [inside] the U.S., so let’s see what else she has to say.”

Ostapenko took to Instagram after the match and wrote, “Today after the match I told my opponent that she was very disrespectful as she had a net ball in a very deciding moment and didn’t say sorry, but her answer was to say that she doesn’t have to say sorry at all.” She continued, “If she plays in her homeland it doesn’t mean that she can behave and do whatever she wants.”

Many felt that Ostapenko’s behavior had a racial tinge, which Townsend addressed on Thursday after winning a first-round doubles match, saying, “Sometimes, I feel like in society, especially people of color, we are expected to be silenced, or sometimes there are times where we have to decide and be very strategic as to when we speak up, and in these type of moments, it’s important for me to speak up, not only for myself but for my culture.”

On Saturday, Ostapenko again went to Instagram, this time to offer an apology that was not entirely directed toward Townsend, nor did it include Townsend’s name at all.

“Hi all — I wanted to apologize 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 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.”

Townsend built on the momentum of her win over Ostapenko by defeating No. 5 seed Mirra Andreeva on Friday to advance to the round of 16. She will face Barbora Krejcikova on Sunday with a trip to the quarterfinals on the line — the deepest she has gone in a Grand Slam singles event.

Townsend also won her second-round doubles match with partner Katerina Siniakova on Saturday.