Townsend doesn't hold back with Ostapenko: "I don't expect an apology"

Raquel Bermúdez Rodríguez | 28 Aug 2025 | 02.28

Townsend doesn't hold back with Ostapenko: "I don't expect an apology". Photo: Getty

Streaming WTA Stuttgart WD live tennis

🎾 Ostapenko/Zhang vs Melichar-Martinez/Samsonova

Sign up with Bet365 here
Make your first deposit of at least €5
Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

Jelena Ostapenko became the absolute protagonist of the day by dedicating a few words to Taylor Townsend at the end of their match, in which the American emerged victorious. As the local player explained, Jelena told her that her behavior was very disrespectful and lacked class, although Ostapenko later clarified on her social media the incidents that triggered this reaction, now eliminated from the US Open 2025.

One of these incidents was going to the net at the beginning of the warm-up, while the other was not apologizing for winning a point due to a net assist. Minutes later, Taylor clarified in the press conference all that had happened, admitting that she also enjoys this aspect of the sport.

"We've played many times. I played her in singles in Toronto last year. We probably played before. The most recent was in the Wimbledon doubles semifinals. There has never been any issue. I don't know what she thinks of me, but I have no problem with her. She said I have no education or class, and let's see what happens if we face off outside the United States. I said: 'I'm looking forward to it, go ahead'.

In the first set, she played very well, and when the situation changed, suddenly it became a problem. I attributed it to competition. I attributed it to being upset; she did everything to try to break the momentum. Sometimes people do that, but it is what it is. I didn't back down because you are not going to insult me, especially after I behaved with nothing but respect. If I show you respect, I expect respect too. That's the plain truth. That's tennis, right? Whatever happens, we have to respect each other and respect what happens on the court. It's competition."

About Ostapenko's message

"I don't expect any apology. That's sports. People have softened a bit, I won't lie. People speak ill of each other. Everyone has the right to feel how they feel. The problem is not imposing expectations on me. If you expect someone to apologize and they don't, and you get angry, that's on you, not me.

This is not the first, second, third, or fourth time I've played against Jelena, so if she complains about how I warm up, it's no big deal. Everyone knows it's not personal; it's something I do. You can go back to when I played my first professional tennis match, and I've been doing it since the junior stage. It was nothing aimed at her to try to throw her off her game or rhythm. I find it funny. I think it's quite amusing."

Conclusions of the dispute

"I'm an Aries, so I'm a fire sign. This is one reason why I love sports. Being able to observe the tension, what happens, and see how someone can handle the moment, how they manage their emotions, how they handle the ups and downs, the changes of pace, everything adds to the mix, whether trying to break the rhythm, break the momentum, how they handle it mentally.

Saying that I have no education or social class, I don't take it personally because I know it's far from the truth. If I let what others say affect me that way, then they win. I stood up for myself and, at that moment, I was mindful of how I wanted to present myself and how I wanted to show myself, and if my child saw this interaction, how would they view it? I think they would be proud of how I handled the situation."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Townsend no se corta con Ostapenko: "No espero ninguna disculpa"