"That wasn't the smartest thing to say to an American in New York," Shelton reacts to the clash between Townsend and Ostapenko

In a press conference after his victory over Carreno Busta (6-4, 6-2, 6-4) at the US Open, Shelton shared his opinion on the heated exchange between Ostapenko and Townsend. To recap, the Latvian reportedly criticized her opponent for a lack of education and class during the match. According to her, certain customary rules were not respected.

"I didn't hear or understand everything. Yes, there were, I suppose, some shocking comments directed at Taylor (Townsend). That wasn't the smartest thing to say to an American in New York, but she handled the situation well.

I don't know exactly what happened during the match, but I'm just happy that she's on a nice winning streak. And as she said after the match, she let her racket do the talking."

Both compatriots have now advanced to the third round. One will face Mannarino, and the other will play against Andreeva.