This year’s US Open still lingers in memory. Aryna Sabalenka defended her crown, Carlos Alcaraz slayed his hard-court demons, yet one clash stole the spotlight. Taylor Townsend , who is Black, battled past 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko 7-5, 6-1 before a heated post-handshake exchange. Townsend revealed Ostapenko accused her of having “no class” and “no education,” later questioning whether there were “racial undertones” to the confrontation. . Though Ostapenko later apologized, Townsend has now spoken again, sharing that the disrespect she faced stretched back before their post-match brawl even began, making the controversy an even sharper wound in an otherwise career-defining tournament run.
Taylor Townsend has never been one to back down, and in a recent episo