Jelena Ostapenko Finally Issues Apology to Taylor Townsend After US Open Controversy

Former world number 5, Jelena Ostapenko, has been running the headlines recently. But interestingly, it’s not just because of her tennis, but something else! She recently went down to America’s Taylor Townsend in the second round of the 2025 US Open by 7-5,6-1. But more than the defeat, her post-match reaction raised quite a few eyebrows in the tennis world. The Latvian was spotted engaging in a heated argument beside the net, right after this epic battle. What exactly did she say to Townsend, though?

When asked about the same in her post-match interview, the American revealed, “It’s competition… people get upset when they lose. Some people say bad things. She told me I have no class & no education & to see what happens when we get outside the U.S.” Shortly after this statement came out, Jelena Ostapenko received quite a few backlashes in the tennis world. Now, a day after that, her journey at the 2025 US Open came to an end with a three-set defeat in the doubles event alongside Barbora Krejčíková.

Following that loss, Ostapenko shared a heartfelt note on her IG stories. She apologized to everyone for that incident, saying, “Hi all – I wanted to apologize for some of the things I said during my second-round singles match. English is not my native language, so when I said education, I was speaking only about what I believe as tennis etiquette, but I understand how the words I used could have offended many people beyond the tennis court. I appreciate the support as I continue to learn and grow as a person and a tennis player. Goodbye New York and I look forward to being back next year.”

Jelena Ostapenko apologizes for her behavior after the Taylor Townsend match at U.S. Open

“Hi all – I wanted to apologize for some of the things I said during my second-round singles match. English is not my native language, so when I said education, I was speaking only about… pic.twitter.com/arE6tHCrdZ

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 30, 2025

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