Tennis-Osaka condemns Ostapenko over heated U.S. Open row with Townsend


Tennis - U.S. Open - Flushing Meadows, New York, United States - August 28, 2025 Japan's Naomi Osaka reacts during her second round match against Hailey Baptiste of the U.S. REUTERS/Mike Segar

NEW YORK (Reuters) -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 U.S. Open on Thursday.

Townsend, who is Black, overcame 2017 French Open champion Ostapenko 7-5, 6-1 in a tough second-round battle a day earlier. But the real tension came shortly after match point, when the pair verbally duelled at the net, with the Latvian repeatedly wagging her finger at the American.

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