Ostapenko's loss and her threat towards the opponent drew criticism, while Townsend stood firm and challenged: bring it on.

Following the intense showdown between Ostapenko and American Townsend, it seems Medvedev and his fans were the most pleased. Humorously, it was said that Ostapenko’s sharp strike effectively overshadowed the earlier uproar caused by the Russian player’s defeat at the US Open, likely ending that saga quickly!

Medvedev, who suffered repeated setbacks in Grand Slam tournaments this year, was expected to make a strong comeback at the US Open. Unexpectedly, his toughest rival, Bonzi, was right in front of him, leading to a grueling five-set battle that ended in an early exit.

After losing this crucial match, Medvedev was furious and smashed his racket in front of Bonzi and everyone else, causing a public uproar!

Medvedev’s outburst was mainly due to his poor record against Bonzi in Grand Slam first rounds, having been eliminated early each time, including back-to-back first-round losses at Wimbledon and the US Open this season.

Although many understood why the Russian star smashed his racket in anger, his call for authorities to punish Bonzi after the match escalated the situation and led to harsh criticism against Medvedev in the media.

Just as supporters worried that this controversy would damage Medvedev’s image irreparably, Ostapenko’s timely intervention instantly overshadowed the scandal at the US Open caused by Medvedev.

Before the match against American doubles specialist Townsend, the former French Open champion Ostapenko was clearly the favorite; nearly everyone believed her skill would easily overcome the American player.

From the start of the first set, Ostapenko demonstrated her French Open champion caliber by quickly taking a 3-0 lead, leaving Townsend struggling to respond.

Just when everyone expected Ostapenko to sweep the American player swiftly, Townsend began a comeback from the fourth game, gradually eroding Ostapenko’s advantage and ultimately stunning everyone by reversing the score to win 7-5.

The dramatic shift from a commanding lead to a strong comeback defeat deeply affected Ostapenko, who struggled to recover from the first set loss. It wasn’t until Townsend won five consecutive games to lead 5-0 that Ostapenko finally snapped out of it.

Although Ostapenko regained focus from the sixth game onwards, it was too late, and she ultimately suffered a decisive defeat.

As fans and viewers joked about Ostapenko’s apparent self-inflicted injury after the match, unexpectedly, she and Townsend engaged in a heated argument on court, sparking boos and whistles and causing chaos at the venue.

From the footage, a furious Ostapenko directed an intense 20-second verbal tirade at Townsend after losing. Seeing the American player appear like a scolded student enduring such disrespect from the former French Open champ drew sympathy from many.

In a post-match interview, Townsend openly revealed the content of their quarrel. She stated that Ostapenko accused her of being “tasteless and uncultured,” even threatening her with words like “just wait until you leave the US.”

However, Townsend was no pushover; besides shouting in celebration to indirectly respond to Ostapenko’s verbal attacks, she also confronted her directly during the ensuing war of words: “I’m looking forward to it. I’ve beaten her before outside the US in Canada, so let’s see what else she has to say.”

Ostapenko’s angry outburst after losing and her verbal assault on Townsend drew widespread criticism. Some labeled the former French Open champion as a “shrew,” saying she failed to handle pressure at a critical moment and should have reflected on her loss instead of causing trouble, calling it “an inability to accept defeat.”

Many others pointed out that Ostapenko’s singles achievements far surpass Townsend’s, and even if this loss was hard to accept, such poor sportsmanship was unwarranted. “Having experienced big stages, acting out like this is petty and immature.”

After the verbal clash between Ostapenko and Townsend, most observers agreed that the happiest people were undoubtedly Medvedev and his supporters.

From smashing his racket after losing to demanding punishment for Bonzi, Medvedev was once called “out of control” by outsiders, embarrassing for a Grand Slam champion. Now, with Ostapenko’s dramatic incident stealing the spotlight, public attention and criticism have shifted to the former French Open champion, indirectly easing the pressure on Medvedev and solving his immediate problem.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Starry Moon River)