Venus Williams Gives Her Take on Taylor Townsend-Jelena Ostapenko US Open Fight

Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez are projected to face Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova in the quarterfinals of the US Open.

Venus Williams Gives Her Take on Taylor Townsend-Jelena Ostapenko US Open Fight

Jelena Ostapenko, Venus Williams, Taylor Townsend (Image via X/Bossip, The Athletic)

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A second-round clash at the US Open saw an ugly altercation between Jelena Ostapenko and Taylor Townsend. Because a net cord point was won by Townsend, and she did not apologize for it, Ostapenko got furious, and during the customary handshake, she told Townsend she had no class or education.

Now this was perceived as a racist remark by many. But Ostapenko twice said her remark did not have a racist undertone. She went on her Instagram story and apologized for it.

The entire thing received mixed reactions from the tennis world. While Aryna Sabalenka felt Ostapenko said those things in the heat of the moment, Naomi Osaka said it was the worst thing one could say to a black player. Venus Williams, who is still alive in the tournament in doubles, was asked in the press conference about the argument.

My thoughts about it, it was a lot of drama. It was a lot of drama. And I thought Taylor handled it amazing. I really did. I just thought with her as a mom, how she handled it, her son would be watching, her son is watching. She handled it with class, a situation that was not so classy. And just moved on and won again. So she’s handling it amazing, I’m rooting for her. She’s a wonderful person, great mom.

Townsend has reached the fourth round of the US Open singles for the second time in her career. In the third round, she went past two-time WTA 1000 champion Mirra Andreeva. The 29-year-old will next lock horns with Barbora Krejcikova.

Williams accepted the wild card for the US Open, but her campaign in singles ended in the first round. She lost to 11th seed Karolina Muchova in three sets. In doubles, she and partner Leylah Fernandez have booked a spot in the third round after knocking out Eri Hozumi and Ulrikke Eikeri. They will next lock horns with the pair of Zhang Shuai and Ekaterina Alexandrova or Britain’s Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal.

If Williams and Fernandez reach the quarterfinals, they could face Townsend and her doubles partner, Katerina Siniakova. Townsend and Siniakova are the first seeds and are chasing their second Grand Slam titles together following their victories at the 2024 Wimbledon and this year’s Australian Open.

Venus Williams on extending her doubles partnership with Leylah Fernandez

Venus Williams, after her singles campaign at the US Open, said she doesn’t see herself playing tournaments outside of the US. She said she is uncertain about whether she will return to the Australian Open next year.

Venus Williams, Leylah Fernandez
Venus Williams, Leylah Fernandez (Image via X/The Globe and Mail)

Williams doesn’t need anything to prove to anyone. But at this stage of her career, she doesn’t want to do much traveling. At the press conference after her and Leylah Fernandez’s second-round win, the 45-year-old was asked whether she wants to extend the partnership with Fernandez.

If she can get me on the road, definitely (laughs). I don’t know what can get me out there. I love all these… I love Asia, I love Australia. I love all those places, but it’s about…it’s just so far away. Where are you playing next?

Fernandez had no idea, and so Williams said there needs to be some internal talk to which the 22-year-old agreed. The Canadian ace also played singles, but her run ended in the third round with a straight-set defeat to first seed Aryna Sabalenka.

While Fernandez is a one-time Major doubles finalist (2023 French Open), Williams clinched 14 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister Serena Williams. In singles, Fernandez produced her best Grand Slam performance when she reached the 2021 US Open final, losing that match to Britain’s Emma Raducanu.

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