Ostapenko’s outburst at US Open crossed a line — and not just in tennis

Tennis players behaving badly on court riles me. True, athletes can lose their cool in the heat of the moment. Tempers can fray under pressure. They are human. I get that.

But professional sport comes with responsibility. Athletes aren’t just competing. They’re representing their sport, their countries, and sometimes, whether they like it or not, broader social dynamics.

That’s why Jelena Ostapenko’s outburst at the US Open upset me. Her tirade against Taylor Townsend wasn’t just poor sportsmanship; it crossed the line into something uglier.

“No Education. No Class.” Really?

Those were Ostapenko’s reported words to Townsend at the net after their match — a loss that clearly didn’t sit well with the Latvian.

You don’t say that to anyone. But when it’s said to a Black woman, the context becomes far heavier.

“It’s one of the worst things you can say to a Black tennis player in a majority White sport,” said Naomi Osaka, who rightly questioned whether Ostapenko understood the weight of her words or the history behind them.

The tension began before the first point was even played. Ostapenko reportedly took issue with Townsend warming up at the net. Later, when a net cord gave the American a fortunate point, things escalated.

Ostapenko’s frustration boiled over after the match, culminating in the ugly exchange. Was she frustrated? Absolutely. Was she emotional after a tough loss? Of course. But that doesn’t justify personal attacks. Especially those with racial undertones, intentional or not.

At the heart of Ostapenko’s complaint was the lack of an apology after the net cord. And yes, there’s a tradition in tennis — when a player wins a point off the net cord, they often raise a hand in a small gesture of apology.

But let’s be clear: It’s not a rule. It’s not a requirement. And it’s certainly not worth blowing up over.

Sometimes players are too locked into the match to even register the moment — as Amanda Anisimova explained after her own run-in with Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon. She didn’t mean to be rude; she was just focused. It happens.

To demand an apology? That’s not sportsmanship. That’s entitlement.

The issue here isn’t just etiquette. It’s language.

Words have weight. They can uplift or deeply wound. More so in a sport where race, class, and representation are still very real issues.

Ostapenko may eventually apologise. She might even say she didn’t mean what she said. But that won’t erase the impact. The slur, the disrespect, the tone: it all lingers.

People pay to watch world-class athletes compete at the highest level. They didn’t come to witness grudges, tantrums, or insults.

Professional tennis is better than this. The players should be too.