The Latvian attributes her harsh words to a language barrier.
Three days after the heated tennis row at the US Open, Jelena Ostapenko has at least partially retracted her harsh words—and offered her American opponent Taylor Townsend a small apology. She would like to apologize for “some of her comments,” the Latvian wrote on Instagram after the scandal at Flushing Meadows: “English is not my mother tongue.”
Despite the language barrier, the Latvian had found clear words after her second-round defeat to Townsend, accusing her opponent of lacking class and manners, among other things. “By the term ‘upbringing,’ I was referring exclusively to what I understand to be tennis etiquette,” the 2017 French Open winner now emphasized, adding that she was “aware that my choice of words may have hurt many people outside the tennis court.”
The Latvian did not mention Townsend specifically in her statement, even though things had gotten heated between the two tennis pros after the match. At the net, the Latvian loser had pointed her finger at the American and shouted at her in a highly agitated manner, including threats.
“She told me that I have no class and no manners. And that I should wait and see what happens when we’re outside the US. But I’m looking forward to that,” Townsend clarified afterwards on ESPN: “It’s a competition. Some people get angry when they lose. Some say nasty things.”
But now Ostapenko is striking a conciliatory note—at least with regard to the city and the tournament: “I am grateful for the support I receive on my journey as a person and a tennis player,” Ostapenko concluded her statement: “Goodbye, New York, I look forward to coming back next year.”