The US Open may be the final Grand Slam of the calendar year, but it’s far from the least eventful. Each match seems to add a fresh twist, giving ardent fans the drama they crave beyond the clash of swinging rackets. The latest stir came from Wednesday’s second-round showdown between Taylor Townsend and Jelena Ostapenko, who exchanged words on the sidelines of Court 11 after their match concluded in favor of the American tennis star.

Having entered the second round with a gritty 6-4, 6-4 win over Croatian youngster Antonia Ruzic in the opening stage, Townsend kept her momentum alive with an emphatic 7-5, 6-1 victory over her Latvian rival at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. However, the drama didn’t end there, as the post-match handshake quickly turned into a heated exchange between the two.

While it kept fans wondering what exactly the commotion was about, Townsend revealed some surprising details in the post-game interview. “People get upset when they lose,” began the 29-year-old. “Some people say bad things. She told me I have no class, no education, and to see what happens when we get outside the U.S. So, I’m looking forward to it,” added the Chicago native.

The reason Taylor sounds so optimistic is that she proudly reminded Ostapenko of her recent win over her in Canada — a victory outside the U.S., of course. In what appeared to be a slip of the tongue, the current WTA No. 1 in doubles even lumped her New York triumph into the mix when talking about beating the 2017 French Open champion, though her point was still clear. “Let’s see what she has to say,” she continued.

After the two players met at the net for a post-match handshake, they lingered near each other instead of heading their separate ways as usual. Surprisingly, the 25th-seeded Ostapenko wagged a finger at Townsend during the exchange, and when it finally ended, the American turned to the stands, egging on the partisan crowd by waving her arm overhead — prompting an even louder roar from spectators.

Notably, the pair have crossed paths before in both singles and doubles. Insisting there’s never been any real history between them, Taylor Townsend clarified that there’s no “beef“ from her side. Proudly embracing the confrontation, she essentially told her rival to “bring it on,” making it clear she’s never been one to back down from moments like this.

“Honestly, I just locked in. I mean, she was playing really well at the beginning. When she was playing well, I didn’t say anything. That just shows class. Sometimes people are playing too good and you have to take it, but I turned it up another level, and that’s what I’m most proud of today,” added Townsend while speaking with ESPN.

Remarkably, Taylor Townsend denied sensing any outright racism from Ostapenko when asked by a reporter. However, the American tennis star did highlight the stigma within her community about being labeled “uneducated,” while making it clear that her focus is more on progressing through the tournament, before placing the responsibility on her Latvian rival to clarify whether the remark carried any racial undertones. Speaking of which, there is indeed a response!

Taylor Townsend earns a response from her rival!

After the match, Jelena Ostapenko used her social media to share what she described as “just a small update about the match.” Interestingly, she accused Taylor Townsend of being “disrespectful” for not apologizing after a net cord worked in her favor during a point. “There are some rules in tennis which most of the players follow, and it was (the) first time ever that this happened to me on tour,” Ostapenko posted.

She also criticized Townsend for starting her warm-up at the net rather than from the baseline, though Taylor Townsend pointed out that opening with volleys has long been her routine. “If she plays in her homeland, it doesn’t mean that she can behave and do whatever she wants,” vocally added the 28-year-old Latvian star while speaking out about her side of the story.

Well, both sides have been heard loud and clear, but which one are you on? Share in the comments below.

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