Townsend takes down Ostapenko in tense second-round battle

Backed by a raucous Court 11 crowd, Taylor Townsend upset Jelena Ostapenko to become the lowest-ranked American woman since 2019 to defeat a former Grand Slam champion at a major.

NEW YORK -- Taylor Townsend defeated No.25 seed Jelena Ostapenko 7-5, 6-1 in a tense second-round match on Court 11 Wednesday, a victory that sends the World No.139 into the third round of the US Open for the second time in three years.

Townsend becomes the lowest-ranked American woman to defeat a former Grand Slam champion at a major since Kristie Ahn ousted Ostapenko in New York six years ago.

“She was playing amazing in the first set and couldn’t miss," Townsend said. "I had my head down and head in my strings and just tried to just continue to plug away. That’s what I kept telling myself. Keep fighting.”

Handshake turns tense

The result included a tense exchange at the net. Townsend said the handshake became heated when Ostapenko questioned her conduct and character.

“I’ve never been the one to back down from anything like that,” Townsend said. “Still, there’s no beef on my side. It’s competition. People get upset when they lose. But you’re not going to insult me, especially after I carried myself a certain type of way with nothing but respect. If I show respect to you, I expect respect as well. That’s just the fact of the matter.”

Taking the high road

Townsend, the current No.1-ranked player in doubles, said she embraces the head-to-head intensity of tennis, even when emotions run high. “Absolutely, I’m an Aries, so I’m a fire sign,” she said, laughing. “I wore fire today. Maybe that’s why I was fired up. I was ready to go.”

She explained the challenge of managing momentum shifts is what makes the sport compelling. “This is one of the reasons why I love sports,” she said. “To see how someone can handle themselves in the moment … how they handle ups and downs, how they handle momentum shifts. This is what makes sports, and that’s what makes it fun.”

Townsend added that her biggest satisfaction was staying composed throughout.

“I had accepted that mentally. This could just be one of those days, and I’m OK with that,” she said. “Today I was rock solid, and that’s what I’m really, really proud of.”

She’s in the groove 💃@TaylorTownsend defeats Ostapenko, 7-5, 6-1, for a place in the third round.#USOpen pic.twitter.com/T8DzH1RnyU — wta (@WTA) August 27, 2025

HBCU Day reflections

Outside of the friction, the occasion itself carried a broader significance. Townsend’s win came on HBCU Day at the US Open, a connection that resonated deeply. For her, the celebration was about more than tennis -- it was about carrying herself “in a certain type of way” and representing a culture with rich history.

Her sister attended Florida A&M, and the presence of the school’s marching band on site gave the day added meaning, merging two worlds that have shaped her life.

“Representation is everything,” Townsend said, “because you have to see it to believe it, even if it’s just one, and I think that’s so special, especially with us honoring Althea Gibson because she was the first woman of color to show up and pave the way for us, and everyone to be here, honestly.”

What’s next

Townsend will face No.5 seed Mirra Andreeva in the third round. The 18-year-old easily handled Anastasia Potapova 6-3, 6-1 on Wednesday afternoon. Andreeva has dropped only five games through two matches.

She leads the head-to-head record with Townsend 1-0, a three-set win on clay in Madrid last year.

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