Issues received heated on the US Open courts yesterday between Taylor Townsend and Jelena Ostapenko. And as soon as once more, a Black lady exemplified Michelle Obama’s notorious mantra of “after they go low, we go excessive.”
In the course of the second spherical of the tennis match, Towsend beat Ostapenko, 7-5, 6-1. However the true stress got here on the internet in the course of the customary handshake. Ostapenko demanded an apology after Townsend’s shot clipped the highest of the online, although the play was nonetheless thought of authorized. And when Townsend refused to ask for forgiveness, that’s when the warmth turned up.
In the course of the altercation, Ostapenko reportedly advised her “you haven’t any training” and “no class” a number of occasions, to which Townsend responded “discover ways to take a loss higher,” earlier than happening to shake the chair umpire’s identify and do on-court interviews.
“It’s competitors, folks get upset after they lose. Some folks say dangerous issues,” Townsend advised ESPN. “She advised me I’ve no class, no training, and to see what occurs after we get outdoors the U.S. I’m wanting ahead to it. I imply, I’m wanting ahead to it, I beat her in Canada outdoors the U.S.”
In the meantime Ostapenko took to social media, explaining that she “advised my opponent that she was very disrespectful as she had a internet ball in a really deciding second and didn’t ask for forgiveness in any respect,” per the New York Instances.
Throughout what Townsend knew can be a extremely anticipated post-game press convention, the tennis star addressed Ostapenko’s charged outburst.
“I’m simply not going to tolerate disrespect. You’re not going to disrespect me in my face,” she defined. “I’m very proud as a Black lady being out right here representing myself and representing us and our tradition. I be sure that I do the whole lot that I can to be the very best illustration potential each time that I step on the court docket and even off the court docket.”
“That has been a stigma in our group of being not educated and all the issues when it’s the furthest factor from the reality,” she continued. The factor that I’m probably the most pleased with is that I let my racquet speak. As a result of in the end, I’m the one right here sitting in entrance of you guys transferring on to the subsequent spherical, getting the subsequent test, transferring on, with the ability to nonetheless be right here and communicate to you guys, and that’s what’s an important.”
Following the incident, Ostapenko has reportedly acquired “many messages” calling her racist.
“I used to be NEVER racist in my life and I respect all nations of individuals on the earth, for me it doesn’t matter the place you come from. There are some guidelines in tennis and sadly when the gang is with you, you may’t use it in a disrespectful method to your opponent,” Ostapenko wrote in a since-deleted social media submit.
Finally, Townsend seems to be unbothered by the state of affairs, writing “onto the subsequent” in an Instagram submit.
