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 fro

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