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Latvian tennis star Jelena Ostapenko apologized on social media for what she told American tennis player Taylor Townsend during an emotional outbreak after an American open loss.
Ostapenko told Townsend that she had “no education” when she pointed her finger to her opponent after an early tournament loss to the American. She wrote on social media that English is not her native language, “So when I said education, I only talked about what I think (am) tennis ethics, but I understand how the words I used could have offended many people beyond the tennis court.”
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Jelena Ostapenko from Latvia (R) argues with Taylor Townsend in the United States (L) after their woman’s singles second round match on day four of 2025 US Open in Usta Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 27, 2025 in the flush neighborhood of Queens Borough of New York City. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Townsend responded to the apology after she won her double match on Saturday. She said she wasn’t aware of it.
“It’s nice that she made her apologized,” Townsend said. “That’s fine. It’s cool. At the end of the day, I think it’s a learning lesson for her. … It’s nice that she went to social media and apologized. But I really hope she can take it like, hello, you can’t control people and it’s better just to focus on yourself.”
Townsend said she hadn’t personally heard from Ostapenko. Townsend defeated No. 25-ranked Ostapenko 7-5, 6-1. The two came face to face after the fight with Ostapenko that delivered the insults.
Jeļena Ostapenko from Latvia during the first round of the US Open Tennis Tournament, August 24, 2025, in New York. (Vera Nieuwenhuis, File/AP photo)
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Townsend, who is black, was asked by a reporter if Ostapenko’s comments on the web had racial undertones.
“I didn’t take it that way, but also, you know it’s been a stigma in our community of being ‘not trained’ and all things when it’s the longest from the truth,” Townsend replied.
“So whether it had racial undertones or not, it’s something she can talk about. The only thing I’m worried about right now is to keep moving through this tournament.”
Taylor Townsend in the United States in action against Jelena Ostapenko in the second round of women’s singles at the US Open in Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. (Mike Frey/Imag photos)
Ostapenko said immediately after the match that she was upset Townsend did not apologize after being helped by a net line under a point. She also questioned Townsend, which warms up before the match on the web instead of baseline.
