Naomi Osaka Calls Jelena Ostapenko’s Comments to Taylor Townsend ‘One of the Worst Things You Can Say to a Black Tennis Player’

Context mattered: Townsend had just earned a clean win, then faced a post-match broadside. The emotions of a major can run hot, but the words chosen carried extra weight.

Townsend responded with composure. She didn’t trade insults; she asserted her dignity and work ethic, making clear that respect isn’t a courtesy for winners—it’s the baseline for professionals.