'No class, no education': Townsend, Ostapenko in ugly exchange at US Open 2025

Taylor Townsend and Jelena Ostapenko were involved in a controversy at the 2025 US Open, where a heated post-match exchange overshadowed Townsend’s impressive second-round victory. Townsend had defeated the No. 25 seed and 2017 French Open champion 7-5, 6-1, but the tension flared during the net handshake when Ostapenko accused her of having “no class” and “no education.”

The dispute stemmed from two incidents. Ostapenko claimed Townsend broke tennis etiquette by not apologising for a net-cord winner and by warming up at the net before the match. Still frustrated after the loss, she repeated her accusations in front of a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium, drawing loud boos from the New York crowd.

US Open 2025 Day 4 Updates

Townsend, ranked No. 139, defended herself, insisting she had shown nothing but respect and refusing to back down in the face of personal insults.

“It’s competition — people get upset when they lose. Some say bad things. She told me I have no class, no education, and warned me to see what happens outside the US,” Townsend said in an on-court interview after the match.

Later in a social media post, Ostapenko clarified: “After the match I told my opponent that she was very disrespectful. She had a net cord in a crucial moment and didn’t apologize. Her response was that she doesn’t have to say sorry at all. There are certain rules in tennis that most players follow, and this was the first time I experienced such behavior on tour. Just because she is playing in her homeland doesn’t mean she can act however she wants.”

Townsend crushes Ostapenko

On court, the American delivered one of the standout victories of her career. Despite falling behind 3-5 in the opening set, Townsend mounted a stunning comeback, reeling off nine straight games to snatch the set 7-5 before racing through the second 6-1. The contest wrapped up in just 1 hour and 18 minutes.

Townsend’s performance was built on ruthless efficiency—she landed 77 percent of her first serves, captured 94 percent of her service points, and won 55 percent of return points. Her discipline was equally impressive, committing only four unforced errors, while Ostapenko unravelled with a string of mistakes.

Townsend will next be up against teen sensation and fifth seed Mirra Andreeva, who defeated Russia’s Anastasia Potapova 6-1, 6-3 in the second round.