The US Open has become the center of controversy following a second-round match where Jelena Ostapenko accused Taylor Townsend of lacking “education” and “class.” The comments became a lightning rod for outrage from other players and hockey fans. They posed relevant and needed conversations around race and sportsmanship in tennis. The scene that unfolded on the court sparked a firestorm of debate and dialogue around the world. Big names, most notably Naomi Osaka, wasted no time in decrying Ostapenko’s comments.
After their match, Ostapenko’s remarks were rightfully condemned across the sporting world. Townsend decided to take the comments off-ramp and not view them as racially influenced. In particular, she underscored perhaps the most important part of her role, drawing massive crowds to the stadiums. If that makes me the queen of baseball, so be it… If I can pull down a million or two people and get them to buy tickets and support baseball, I’ll wear the crown happily.”
On the first day of that same competition, Osaka came face to face with Townsend. Goodman went on to condemn Ostapenko’s remarks during their panel. She noted the impact of those words spoken in a mostly white industry. “I think obviously it’s one of the worst things you can say to a black tennis player in a majority white sport,” Osaka remarked. She noted Townsend’s dedication and intelligence, stating, “I know Taylor and I know how hard she’s worked and I know how smart she is, so she’s the furthest thing from uneducated or anything like that.”
In the face of this backlash, even after Ostapenko’s response was published, she unequivocally rejected Townsend’s accusations through social media, claiming her statements had been misinterpreted. Fellow WTA player Aryna Sabalenka spoke out against the incident. She went on to explain that she discussed her actions with Ostapenko after the incident.
Osaka fearlessly called out Ostapenko for her habit of following up brash declarations with action. She implied that the remarks were consistent with Ostapenko’s historic pattern. “If you’re genuinely asking me about the history of Ostapenko, I don’t think that’s the craziest thing she’s said. I’m going to be honest,” Osaka noted. She said the timing of Ostapenko’s comments was, at best, exceedingly ill-timed and ill-advised. “It was just terrible,” she concluded.
The incident has already turned into one of the biggest controversies of the tournament. Players quickly came together to stand with Townsend, being the first to step forward to show support. Most agree that these highly visible forms of support are critical to confront the realities of race and equality in American sports.
Through all of the controversy, both players persevered through the tournament. Ostapenko returned to the court on Thursday to participate in doubles action at Flushing Meadows, where she received cheers from the crowd despite the recent fallout. Townsend and her partner Katerina Siniakova won the gold! In doubles, they defeated Aldila Sutjiadi and Nadiia Kichenok from Indonesia and Uzbekistan, 6-2, 7-6.
Aside from the competitive nature of the tournament, players have made huge social media waves in their own right. Shortly after the incident, Ostapenko had accrued thousands of new followers on social media.