Naomi Osaka said using words like “no education” and “no class” to criticise a Black tennis player were among the worst things to say as the debate over a heated row between Taylor Townsend and Jelena Ostapenko raged on at the US Open.
Townsend, who is Black, overcame 2017 French Open champion Ostapenko 7-5, 6-1 in a tough second-round battle on Wednesday.
The flashpoint, however, came shortly after match point, when the pair verbally duelled at the net, with the Latvian repeatedly wagging her finger at the American.
Townsend revealed a part of the exchange during her on-court interview, after which she said during her news conference that Ostapenko would have to answer if there were “racial undertones” to the altercation.
Ostapenko said on Instagram later that her anger stemmed from Townsend’s refusal to apologise after winning a point at a pivotal moment when her ball clipped the net and stayed in play, as she accused the American of being “disrespectful”.
Apologising for winning a point with assistance from the net cord is a tradition that most players adhere to, but they are not obliged to do so.
The Latvian added in another statement that she had never been racist in her life, but Osaka said the words Ostapenko chose during the altercation were in bad taste.
“It’s one of the worst things you can say to a Black tennis player in a majority white sport,” four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka said.
“I know Taylor and I know how hard she’s worked and I know how smart she is, so she’s the furthest thing from uneducated or anything like that.”
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