Taylor Townsend Talks About Representation After Ugly Row with Jelena Ostapenko at US Open

Taylor Townsend will be squaring off against Barbora Krejcikova in the fourth round of the US Open.

Taylor Townsend Talks About Representation After Ugly Row with Jelena Ostapenko at US Open

Jelena Ostapenko, Taylor Townsend (Image via X/Barstool Tennis)

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Taylor Townsend is into the US Open fourth round for the second time in her career. On Friday (August 29), the home favorite eliminated fifth seed Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-2, which was her biggest win of her singles career.

The win came after her second-round match made global headlines because of her row with Jelena Ostapenko. As Townsend did not apologize after winning a point off the net cord, Ostapenko initiated the argument at the customary handshake during which she told the 29-year-old she has “no class” and “no education“. Townsend, during the press conference, said that she didn’t think Ostapenko’s comment had any racial undertone.

This feels good. All I’m going to say is welcome to the show. I feel amazing. I’m really just proud that I kept the main thing the main thing.

Taylor Townsend said during her on-court interview after her third-round win

Ostapenko denied making any racist comment, saying she respects people from every country. The entire thing received mixed reactions from the tennis world, as while World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka backed Ostapenko, only blaming her for her inability to keep her emotions in check, former World No.1 Naomi Osaka said such comments were the worst one could say to a black tennis player.

I want to say thank you to everyone who supported me over these last 48 hours. It’s bigger than me. It’s about the message, it’s about the representation, it’s about being bold and being able to show up as yourself, and I did that tonight. You guys saw the real Taylor Townsend tonight.

Taylor Townsend added

It was Townsend’s third win over a singles top 10 opponent following her victories over Simona Halep in the second round of the 2019 US Open and compatriot Jessica Pegula in the second round of the 2023 Italian Open. Townsend has now tied the head-to-head record over Andreeva to 1-1.

The Russian teenager, who clinched two back-to-back titles at the Dubai Open and Indian Wells, played in the US Open third round for the first time in her career. Her best performance in Majors came last year when she progressed to the semifinals.

Townsend now holds a 2-1 head-to-head record over Ostapenko in singles. The Latvian ace, also the 2017 French Open champion, will try to aim for a semifinal berth for the first time at Flushing Meadows next year.

Townsend has not yet won a singles title. In her previous three Grand Slam singles campaigns this season, Townsend failed to progress beyond the first round.

Taylor Townsend will face Barbora Krejcikova next

Taylor Townsend will meet another Grand Slam singles champion. In the fourth round, she has scheduled a fourth-round clash with Barbora Krejcikova, who is chasing her third Major singles title.

Taylor Townsend
Taylor Townsend (Image via X/Christopher Levy)

The Czech ace, a 10-time doubles champion (including three mixed doubles), lifted the 2021 French Open and the 2024 Wimbledon singles titles. But in the US Open singles, she has never progressed beyond the quarterfinals.

She has met Townsend once- at the 2017 Launceston International, and won that match. Before reaching the fourth round, Krejcikova knocked out home favorite Emma Navarro in three sets. Krejcikova reached the fourth round of a Major singles for the first time this season.

Townsend, also double No.1, will be locking horns with the team of Alycia Parks and Dayana Yastremska. She is playing doubles with Katerina Siniakova. The pair have won two Grand Slam titles together, including this year’s Australian Open by defeating the team of Ostapenko and Hsieh Su-wei.

Krejcikova also played doubles in the ongoing US Open by pairing up with Ostapenko. But they lost in the first round to the 11th seeds, Timea Babos and Luisa Stefani.

Also read: Daniel Altmaier Fires Shots at Stefanos Tsitsipas After Heavy Underarm Service Row at the US Open