US Open rival takes aim at 'terrible' Jelena Ostapenko as Latvian hits back

Naomi Osaka has claimed Jelena Ostapenko's racially-charged insults to Taylor Townsend were "just terrible" and "really bad". The Latvian told the black American he had "no class" and "no education" after a feisty clash at the US Open. And four-time Major winner Osaka, whose father is Haitian, said: "It's one of the worst things you can say to a black tennis player in a majority white sport."

The 2017 French Open winner Ostapenko took to social media late on Wednesday to complain that Townsend was "disrespectful" for not saying "sorry" after a net cord and complained that the doubles specialist started warming up before the match at the net instead of on the baseline. She later added: "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."

But former world No.1 Osaka said: "I saw that part obviously. It's been on the TV, like, every 15 minutes. I think obviously it's one of the worst things you can say to a Black tennis player in a majority white sport. And granted, I know Taylor and I know how hard she's worked and I know how smart she is, so she's the furthest thing from uneducated or anything like that.

"But if you're genuinely asking me about the history of Ostapenko, I don't think that's the craziest thing she's said. I'm going to be honest. I think it's ill-timed and the worst person you could have ever said it to. And I don't know if she knows the history of it in America.

"But I know she's never going to say that ever again in her life. But, I mean, it was just terrible. Like, that's just really bad." Asked about apologising after a net cord, Osaka added: "Honestly, I probably don't care either way. And I definitely wouldn't care to the point where it would affect me that much that I get very angry.

"I think it's up to the person whether they apologise or not, but if it's really close, then I can see why they don't apologise. Townsend, 29, fought back tears in an emotional press conference when she was asked if Ostapenko's accusations had "racist overtones".

The American said: "I can't speak on what her intentions were. "Saying I have no education and no class, I don't really take that personally, because I know that it's so far from the truth and so far from anything. you know, that has been a stigma in our community of being not educated and all of the things when it's the furthest thing from the truth."

Ostapenko returned to action today but lost her first round doubles match with Barbora Krejcikova 4-6 6-2 6-3 to No.11 seeds Timea Babos and Luisa Stefani.