Following her second-round defeat at the 2025 U.S. Open, Jelena Ostapenko sparked controversy with a fiery confrontation that eclipsed Taylor Townsend’s victory. At the net, Ostapenko accused her opponent of having “no class” and “no education” for not apologizing after winning a point via a net cord—a tennis etiquette tradition she believed Townsend violated. Her remarks immediately drew criticism, particularly given the historical sensitivity around those terms toward Black athletes in the largely white sport.
Townsend, visibly unruffled, responded that while people can say hurtful things in the heat of battle, she wouldn’t allow the insult to define her. “You have no class, you have no education,” Townsend quoted, before asserting resolutely, “You lost, and you’re upset about that.” Her composed handling of the moment earned her widespread praise.
Key voices in the tennis world weighed in. Naomi Osaka condemned Ostapenko’s choice of words as “one of the worst things you can say to a Black player in a majority-white sport,” underscoring that Townsend is “far from uneducated” and highlighting the racial and cultural misstep. Coco Gauff echoed the sentiment, calling the comment “a heat-of-the-moment” act but still unacceptable.
Amid mounting backlash, Ostapenko issued an Instagram apology two days later, saying, “English is not my native language. When I said ‘education’, I was referring only to tennis etiquette, but I understand how the words I used could have offended many people beyond the tennis court.” She expressed regret, appreciation for support, and a desire to grow—signaling a tone-down in her stance. Townsend, however, maintained that while the apology was “nice,” the real lesson lies in understanding that one cannot impose expectations on others.
The fallout did little to diminish Townsend’s momentum. With the public rallying behind her, she advanced impressively—defeating No. 5 seed Mirra Andreeva to reach the fourth round and emerging as a symbol of dignity and resilience at this U.S. Open. Amid the noise, her composure stands in stark contrast to Ostapenko’s overshoot.
