When Aryna Sabalenka spoke with Jelena Ostapenko after her second-round loss to Taylor Townsend on the U.S. Open on Wednesday, she wasn’t conscious of the heated post-match spat between the opponents.
Sabalenka, the world No. 1, got here away from their dialog seemingly involved that the Latvian star is coping with one thing in her private life that affects her means to maintain her poise.
“Nicely, I’ve to say that she’s good. She simply generally can lose management. She has some issues in life to face and a few struggles, so I used to be simply attempting to assist her to … not like face it extra in a mature approach, however I used to be simply attempting to assist her to calm down … and somebody she might communicate to and let it go,” Sabalenka stated after defeating Polina Kudermetova in straight units Wednesday night time within the second spherical.
“I believe she will be able to simply generally lose management over her feelings, which is fairly robust, and I actually hope that at some point she is going to determine herself and she is going to deal with it a lot better.”
The post-match fireworks between Townsend and Ostapenko dominated Wednesday’s storylines from Queens after Ostapenko allegedly made crass feedback.
The 29-year-old American defeated Ostapenko, 7-5, 6-1, and the 2 began jawing with each other after shaking palms, with Ostapenko demonstratively pointing her finger in the course of the early a part of the speak.
“It’s competitors, folks get upset after they lose and a few folks say unhealthy issues,” Townsend stated on ESPN after the match. “She informed me I’ve no class, I’ve no training and to see what occurs after we get outdoors the U.S. So, I’m trying ahead to it. I beat her in Canada, outdoors the U.S., I beat her in New York, outdoors the U.S., so let’s see what else she has to say.”
Ostapenko, 28, supplied her facet of the back-and-forth on her Instagram Story, accusing her opponent of violating tennis guidelines.
“At present after the match I informed my opponent that she was very disrespectful as she had a internet ball in a really deciding second and didn’t apologize, however her reply was that she doesn’t should apologize in any respect,” Ostapenko, the world No. 26, wrote after shedding to the 139th-ranked Townsend. “There are some guidelines in tennis which a lot of the gamers comply with and it was first time ever that this occurred to me on tour. If she performs in her homeland it doesn’t imply that she will be able to behave and do no matter she needs.
“To start with of the match all gamers are supposed to begin heat up on the baseline. The opponent got here out and right away began the nice and cozy up at then which may be very disrespectful and towards the principles of a tennis match.”
Townsend made it clear she didn’t really feel she wanted to say she’s sorry.
“When you count on for somebody to apologize and so they don’t and also you get upset about it, that’s your fault, not mine,” Townsend stated.
Whereas it’s clear that the etiquette influenced Ostapenko’s response, Sabalenka got here away from their dialog believing there are off-court elements at play.
“Generally once you battle with some issues in life, it’s, after all, going to mirror in your tennis profession,” Sabalenka stated. “On the court docket, you’re extra unstable and you’ll lose management and also you simply don’t perceive what’s occurring within the second after which, for certain, I’m fairly certain trying again she’s not completely satisfied along with her habits.”
Townsend’s win positioned her into the third spherical, the place she is going to face fifth-seeded Mirra Andreeva on Friday.
Sabalenka, the match’s prime seed, will even face Leylah Fernandez that day.
