NEW YORK (AP) — Jelena Ostapenko apologized on social media Saturday for telling Taylor Townsend she had “no training” after shedding to her on the U.S. Open earlier within the week, explaining that she meant to name out Townsend for what Ostapenko perceived as poor tennis etiquette.
Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion from Latvia, wrote in a submit that English just isn’t her native language, “so after I stated training, I used to be talking solely about what I consider (is) tennis etiquette, however I perceive how the phrases I used may have offended many individuals past the tennis courtroom.”
Townsend stated she was unaware of the apology when she started her information convention following her doubles victory Saturday. She smiled whereas listening to a reporter learn Ostapenko’s submit aloud.
“That’s good that she did that, that she apologized,” Townsend stated, including she has not personally heard from Ostapenko. “That’s superb. That’s cool. On the finish of the day, I feel that it’s a studying lesson for her. … It’s nice that she went to social media and apologized. However I actually hope that, from this, she will take that like, hey, you may’t management folks and it’s higher simply to give attention to your self.”
After the episode on Wednesday, when the 2 gamers had an prolonged back-and-forth after shaking fingers on the internet, a reporter requested Townsend, who’s Black, whether or not she thought there have been racial undertones to what Ostapenko stated on the courtroom.
“I didn’t take it in that manner, but in addition, you understand, that has been a stigma in our neighborhood of being ‘not educated’ and all the issues, when it’s the furthest factor from the reality,” Townsend responded.
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Ostapenko wrote on social media that day that she discovered Townsend “disrespectful” for not apologizing after being helped by a net cord throughout some extent. Ostapenko additionally complained that Townsend started warming up earlier than the match up on the internet, as a substitute of again on the baseline.
Townsend will play within the fourth spherical of singles on Sunday.
