Naomi Osaka has criticised Jelena Ostapenko for her comments during a courtside confrontation with Taylor Townsend at the US Open, calling them 'one of the worst things you can say to a black tennis player'. Ostapenko had accused Townsend of having 'no education' and 'no class' after their second-round match, comments she justified as a reaction to Townsend not apologising for a shot that hit the net.
Osaka, speaking after her third-round win over Hailey Baptiste, said: 'I think obviously it's one of the worst things you can say to a black tennis player in a majority white sport. I know Taylor and I know how hard she's worked and how smart she is, so she's the furthest thing from uneducated.' She added that Ostapenko's comment was 'the worst person you could have ever said it to' and that the Latvian 'is never going to say that ever again in her life'.
Townsend said she did not interpret the remarks as racist but acknowledged that 'not educated' is a stigma in the black community. She expressed hope that the attention could be positive for tennis, saying: 'If I'm someone who can draw huge crowds into the stadiums... then that's a crown that I'll gladly wear.'
Aryna Sabalenka also addressed the incident, saying she had spoken to Ostapenko and described her as 'nice' but someone who 'sometimes can lose control'. Sabalenka said she tried to help Ostapenko 'face it more in a mature way' and hoped she would 'figure herself out'. Ostapenko returned to court for doubles on Thursday and received cheers from the crowd, but declined to fulfil press obligations, citing medical reasons.
