Controversy erupted after Townsend defeated Ostapenko in tough second-round match on August 28
\n NEW YORK
\nJelena Ostapenko apologised for the words she used in a tense altercation with American Taylor Townsend at the US Open that led to backlash, saying on Saturday that English is not her native language.
\nThe controversy erupted after Townsend, who is Black, defeated 2017 French Open champion Ostapenko 7-5 6-1 in a tough second-round match on Wednesday, before being drawn into a heated exchange at the net following their handshake.
\nTownsend later revealed part of the exchange during her on-court interview, saying Ostapenko accused her of having \u201cno class\u201d and \u201cno education\u201d. She added in a press conference that Ostapenko would have to answer questions about whether there were \u201cracial undertones\u201d in the remarks.
\nOstapenko wrote on Instagram that her frustration stemmed from Townsend\u2019s refusal to apologise for benefiting from a net cord \u2014 when the American\u2019s shot clipped the net and stayed in play \u2014 and accused her of being disrespectful.
\nTraditionally, players raise their racket in apology after winning such a point, following long-standing tennis etiquette.
\nThe clash prompted four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka to weigh in, saying that Ostapenko\u2019s choice of words were the worst things one could say when criticising a Black player.
\n\u201cI want to apologise for some of the things I said during my second-round singles match,\u201d Ostapenko said on Saturday.
\n\u201cEnglish is not my native language, so when I said education, I was only speaking about what I believe to be tennis etiquette, but I understand how the words I used could have offended many people beyond the tennis court.
\n\u201cI appreciate the support as I continue to learn and grow as a person and a player.\u201d
\nTownsend later said she accepted the apology.
\n\u201cThat\u2019s fine. That\u2019s cool,\u201d she said. \u201cAt the end of the day, I think it\u2019s a lesson for her \u2026 you can\u2019t push your expectations on other people. That\u2019s what happened.
\n\u201cShe expected me to react a certain way, and I didn\u2019t, and it infuriated her, which led her to say things that are hurtful, belligerent, offensive \u2014 not only to me but to the sport and a whole culture of people I try to represent the best I can.\u201d
\nAmerican Coco Gauff praised Townsend, saying she was one of the nicest people she knew.
\nTownsend, who will face Barbora Krejcikova in the fourth round, said the episode had introduced her to many new fans.
\n\u201cThere are a lot of familiar faces here, but there are also people who maybe didn\u2019t know who I was before,\u201d she said.
\n\u201cNow they\u2019re seeing me, and then going back, learning about my journey, and finding out how I got here. I think that\u2019s super cool.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Controversy erupted after Townsend defeated Ostapenko in tough second-round match on August 28 NEW YORK Jelena Ostapenko apologised for the words she used in a tense altercation with American Taylor Townsend at the US Open that led to backlash, saying on Saturday that English is not her native language. The controversy erupted after Townsend, who […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":500336,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-500318","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n