JELENA OSTAPENKO has denied she was racist in her on-court bust-up with Taylor Townsend at the US Open.
The Latvian tennis star raged following her second-round defeat at Flushing Meadows.
Townsend claimed she was threatened as they shook hands at the net – Ostpaneko started pointing to the net and then started finger-pointing towards the Canadian.
Tensions boiled over with the confrontation continuing as Ostapenko packed her racket away, with Townsend appearing to say: “You need to learn how to take a loss better.”
As the pair continued to row and seemingly trade insults – their conversation could not be picked up clearly on the nearby umpire mic – fans started booing and showing their displeasure.
Though it did not get physical, it was certainly a heated confrontation following their third professional head-to-head.
Chicago-born Townsend, 29, walked off to her side of the court, she cupped her ear and tried to whip up the home crowd into a frenzy.
While French Open champion Ostapenko, 28, was booed off the court as she suffered another early Slam exit this year.
She later took to Instagram and denied she had been racist, while claiming her opponent disrespected her.
Ostapenko wrote: “I was never racist in my life and I respect all nations of people in the world. For me it doesn’t matter where you come from.
“There are some rules in tennis and unfortunately when the crowd is with you, you can’t use it in a disrespectful way to your opponent.
“Unfortunately for me coming from such a small country I don’t have that huge support and a chance to play in my homeland.
“I always loved to play in the US and US Open but this is the first time someone is approaching the match this disrespectful way.”
In a post-match interview, Townsend alleged that she had been insulted by Ostapenko.
Their previous two encounters had been at the 2018 US Open – Townsend won that in three sets – and then in Toronto 12 months ago, when the Eastern European prevailed.
Townsend said in a TV interview: “I mean it’s competition. People get upset when they lose. Some people say bad things.
“She told me I have no class, I have no education, and to see what happens when we get outside the US.
“I am looking forward to it. I beat her in Canada outside of the US. I beat her in New York.
“So, let’s see what else she has to say.”
Asked if the comment about a lack of class and education was a dog whistle and had racial undertones, Townsend said: “No. I can’t speak on what her intentions were.
“I can only speak on how I handled the situation. How I handled it is someone who is upset about the outcome that occurred. You lost, and you’re upset about that.
“Saying I have no education and no class, I don;t really take that personally because I know its so far from the truth.
“If I allow what other people have to say about me, affect me in that way, then they win. So ultimately no. I stood up for myself.”
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