Taylor Townsend’s breakout performance at this year’s US Open drew wide acclaim. She defeated fifth-seeded Mirra Andreeva in a dominant 7-5, 6-2 third-round display. This victory was Townsend’s third career win over an opponent within the top-10. Her previous best wins were impressive victories against Simona Halep in 2019 and Jessica Pegula in Rome last year.
Townsend’s inspiring story to get to this moment has not been easy. In 2012, she was the top junior player. Then the United States Tennis Association (USTA) barred her from competing in the US Open girls’ event and rejected her pleas for wild cards into the main draw, claiming she wasn’t fit to compete. As a result, Townsend’s mother was forced to pay for her expenses as Townsend trained for her tennis career on her own.
In a surprising twist, Townsend’s last battle was besmirched by scandal. After their second-round clash, Ostapenko took to social media to ridicule Townsend, claiming she was lacking “class” and “education.” The tennis community had an immediate and negative response to this statement. Star athletes like Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka rushed to publicly support Townsend.
Osaka remarked on the gravity of Ostapenko’s words, stating that it represented “one of the worst things you can say to a Black tennis player in a majority-white sport.” This support from her peers has strengthened Townsend’s resolve as she faces an unfamiliar, cutthroat world of professional tennis.
Looking back on her path, Townsend said she felt vindicated following her 2019 win over Halep. She stated, “I said to my team, I’m made for this type of stuff. I wasn’t hard, because I stood in my truth. I didn’t have to defend anything that I said. What I said, I said, and I meant.” Her spirit is an absolute force, as deep as it is colorful. She now awaits Barbora Krejcikova in the battle for a quarter-final berth.
Townsend is currently ranked outside the top 100 in singles. She can proudly boast of being a former world No. 1 in doubles. This unique combination of skills showcases her versatility to affect change on the court in diverse ways. In her second round match against Andreeva, Townsend shined. She took 21 of 29 points by moving in and blasting forward than her adversary and fired almost four times as many victorious shots than her opponent.
“This is some people’s first time finding out who Taylor Townsend is,” she remarked after the match. “People being able to see me now, but then being able to go back and follow my journey and figure out how I got here, I think that’s super cool.” Her vibrant personality and engaging presence have resonated with fans and fellow players alike, as she continues to carve out her path in professional tennis.
Townsend’s success at this year’s US Open has brought her back into the spotlight after not reaching the fourth round since 2019. Her performance serves as a reminder of the resilience and dedication it takes to succeed in a highly competitive sport.
As she gears up for her first Grand Slam appearance, it appears Townsend is more than ready to make the most of this opportunity. “When it’s time to do the job, it’s time to do the job,” she concluded. And that’s what I think is the truth of being professional is being able to block out what’s on the outside and when you step in the lines you handle business.