Mumbai: In 2012, as an American 16-year-old at the top of the world junior rankings, Taylor Townsend was asked to sit out of the girls’ US Open event and denied a wild card to have a crack among the pros by the US tennis association due to apparent concerns around her fitness.
Townsend has since played a few times on the US Open show court but Friday was different. This was Arthur Ashe Stadium decked up for its prime time night session. This was a packed crowd waiting to welcome a now 29-year-old homegrown world No.139 taking on a world No.5 Russian teen sensation.
Walking through the tunnel that leads into the gigantic arena, Townsend took off her headphones and turned off the music.
“Because,” she would say later, “I wanted to hear everything. I wanted to hear the people. I wanted to hear the noise. I wanted to hear them call my name.”
You’d have perhaps heard of her name at this US Open, as one of the two people that delivered the most talked-about post-match moments and images. That name now also delivered the biggest upset of the tournament thus far.
Townsend, the reigning world No.1 in doubles languishing outside the top 100 in singles, knocked out fifth seed Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-2 in the third round. The stunning win took her to the singles Round of 16 for the first time in Slams since the 2019 US Open. It also ensured the 2025 US Open for her wouldn’t be all about the off-court noise.
Townsend’s previous round win over 25th seed Jelena Ostapenko was followed by dramatic post-match scenes. It stemmed from the former not apologising for a net cord point won and tweaking the warm-up hit between players. The Latvian, according to the American, told her she had “no class” and “no education”, comments that sparked allegations of racism.
The incident made headlines, elicited responses from top stars at Flushing Meadows, and flooded Townsend’s social media with unprecedented engagement. Speaking to the Ashe crowd after beating Andreeva, Townsend thanked “everyone who supported me over these last 48 hours”, saying the victory was “about being bold and being able to show up as yourself”.
Yet, not many would have known this personality before that post-match incident. That’s where the last 48 hours have changed Townsend’s world.
“This is some people’s first time interacting and finding out who Taylor Townsend is. There are a lot of people who may not have had any idea who I was,” she said after Friday’s win. “So that’s great…people being able to see me now, but (also) them being able to go back into my history and follow my journey and figure out how she has gotten here.”
It was far from smooth. The Chicago-born kid was a bright junior, winning three of the four junior Slams (singles or doubles) of 2012, the same year she was denied a gig in her home Major.
Townsend made the singles top 100 in 2015, but was never able to kick on either in the rankings or at Slams into the second week. She gradually drifted towards doubles, in which the mother of a four-year-old is a two-time Slam champion now.
“People have always said you’re so talented, you have so many weapons, you have so many things you can do, but… there was always a but,” she said. “And I feel like all the things I’ve been doing and the work I’ve put in, it has eliminated that but.”
The last time Townsend made the singles Round 4 in Slams was also while taking down a top 10 opponent – Simona Halep at the 2019 US Open. That was when she felt like she needed “validation” while trying to “get over the hump” of seeking that one big win. This top 10 win felt different.
“I wasn’t searching for anything,” she said. “I wasn’t trying to find answers. I had all the answers here.”
The American’s answer to blunting the Russian’s baseline strength was inward in her doubles prowess. Townsend came to the net 29 times, and won 21 of those points.
Townsend believes she’s a different person now. She’s more confident and mentally stronger. She’s also embraced the wild ride of her last 48 hours.
“I’m enjoying the ride,” said Townsend, also playing doubles as the top seed. “It’s not over yet.”
