Tennis News Today: Jelena Ostapenko shades Taylor Townsend after China racism row; Bjorn Borg puts Djokovic above Federer & Nadal in GOAT race

Taylor Townsend continues to feel the effects of her controversial comments during the Billie Jean King Cup Finals last week. In addition to facing backlash from fans, Jelena Ostapenko also slammed her remarks, which had racist undertones.

As the Asia swing of the tour continues, Iga Swiatek again raised the issue of hectic schedules that leave athletes with little to no time to rest between events. On the other hand, Frances Tiafoe furiously smashed racquets due to his first-round loss at the Japan Open against Hungary's Marton Fucsovics.

On that note, let us take a look at some of the top stories that dominated tennis today:

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#1 Jelena Ostapenko throwing shade at Taylor Townsend on racism row

The heated on-court exchange between Jelena Ostapenko and Taylor Townsend is an infamous memory from the US Open this season. This spat was followed by Townsend hinting at Ostapenko's remarks being racist, followed by the Latvian's social media trial that was put to rest with an apology from her.

However, Townsend received hate when she criticized Chinese culture and made some jarring comments on their food during the BJK Cup finals in Shenzhen, China. In reply, Ostapenko threw shade at the American by reacting to a fan's comment on her Instagram post.

The Latvian liked a comment on her post, which consisted of an image of her posing with the Great Wall of China behind her. It read:

"Very educated in China ❤️," seemingly drawing from their US Open spat.

Fans, too, supported her action because they believed it was only fair, considering the hate she received online last month.

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#2 Bjorn Borg hails Novak Djokovic as GOAT, says Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are tied in second place

Swedish tennis legend Bjorn Borg weighed in on the GOAT debate, picking Novak Djokovic as the ultimate winner. He added that the other two of the big three, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, are tied in the next spot. In a candid interview with SkySports, the 14-time Grand Slam champion said:

"I think the way he's playing, Djokovic, for me, is the greatest player to have ever played the game. And then the second place comes to Federer and Nadal. They tied for the second place."

Borg further opined on the chances of Djokovic winning a 25th major title and claimed that he expects no less, seeing how he is still playing against youngsters.

"It's amazing how he can play that kind of tennis, 38 years old. I'm very impressed. I know he wants to win that 25th Grand Slam tournament. I hope he's going to play one more year," he added.

Novak Djokovic qualified for all four Grand Slam semifinals this season but failed to advance past that stage.

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#3 Iga Swiatek requests the WTA to fix the overcrowded schedule

Iga Swiatek, who has been vocal about the hectic WTA schedule, raised the issue again after her win at the Korea Open last Sunday. The Pole brought it up in an interview with Punto de Break, when she was asked to weigh in on the placement of the BJK Cup finals in the tennis calendar.

Swiatek commended the modification in the event's scheduling and hinted at her inability to represent Poland in this edition due to a demanding tennis calendar. She opened up on their lack of time to rest and said:

"Maybe I shouldn't talk about vacations, but let's be honest, there's no time for them during the season and our bodies need them too. Some players wait, others go on vacation, train for a couple of days, and then play in the tournament, which isn't ideal."

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#4 Martina Navratilova had a message for Donald Trump after Jimmy Kimmel's return on ABC

After being taken off the air on September 17, Jimmy Kimmel Live! received immense support from fans, including Martina Navratilova, who demanded the show's return. When the show resumed broadcasting on Tuesday, a clip received love from seven million viewers, leading the American to take a dig at President Donald Trump.

Sharing a post on the staggering viewership of Kimmel's monologue on YouTube on her X (formerly Twitter) handle, tennis legend Navratilova wrote:

"Bad ratings, eh donnie????"

Jimmy Kimmel's show was removed from ABC because the broadcaster found Kimmel's remarks on Charlie Kirk's shooting inappropriate.

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#5 Taylor Townsend withdrew from the China Open

Taylor Townsend has reportedly withdrawn from the China Open after her comments with racist undertones faced immense criticism online. The American claimed that she had endured an ankle injury during the BJK Cup, due to which she had flown back to the US.

However, tennis fans rejected the injury claims and alleged that Townsend flew back to avoid the booing and jarring she would experience during her matches at the tournament. She will also sit out the Wuhan Open and the Ningbo Open, which follow.

"I knew her ankle injury is 100% fake," a fan wrote on X.

Although Townsend has not confirmed this matter yet, she is expected to play in Japan next.