Overview

• Taylor Townsend defeated Jelena Ostapenko and then reported that Ostapenko told her she had “no class” and “no education” during a heated post-match exchange.
• Naomi Osaka called the phrasing one of the worst things to say to a Black tennis player in a majority White sport.
• Townsend said she did not interpret the remark as racist, while acknowledging the stereotype’s significance in her community.
• Ostapenko denied racist intent on Instagram and said her anger stemmed from Townsend not apologizing for a net-cord point; tournament organizers later cited medical reasons when she skipped media duties.
• Tour voices continued to weigh in, with Ben Shelton criticizing the comment and Aryna Sabalenka saying she spoke to Ostapenko to help her settle down.