In a fiery conclusion to her second-round U.S. Open Tennis match, Taylor Townsend’s victory over Jelena Ostapenko was overshadowed by a heated confrontation after the match and public comments from both athletes. The incident started during the usual handshake at the net. It quickly turned into a verbal argument and drew boos from the crowd.
The main cause of the initial conflict, according to a report from The Athletic, was a shot that Townsend hit which touched the top of the net before landing in. This kind of shot, called a net cord, is often followed by an apology from the player who hit it as a sign of good sportsmanship. Ostapenko apparently was upset because Townsend did not apologize, and a tense exchange followed.
