American tennis player Taylor Townsend delivered a standout performance at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday night, defeating fifth seed Mirra Andreeva with a score of 7-5 and 6-2. This victory secured her a spot in the fourth round of the US Open, a feat she hadn’t achieved since 2019.
Despite not having the same notoriety as other compatriots like Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, and not being seeded in singles, Townsend, who is currently part of the world’s number one women’s doubles team and was the best junior player, has become one of the most talked-about figures of the tournament. The controversy generated after her match against Jelena Ostapenko and the subsequent debate have catapulted Townsend into the spotlight.Townsend hopes that the attention generated by this incident and how it was handled will be a positive contribution to the US Open and tennis in general.It’s bigger than me. It’s about the message, the representation, being bold and being able to show yourself as you are, and I did that tonight. You saw the real Taylor Townsend tonight.
Taylor Townsend
After her victory, Townsend and Ostapenko had a heated exchange. When asked if the comments had a racial background, Townsend replied that she did not perceive it that way, but acknowledged that there is a stigma in her community about being “uneducated”, something that is far from the truth. Figures like Gauff and Naomi Osaka publicly came out in defense of Townsend. Osaka described what Townsend reported Ostapenko said as “one of the worst things you can say to a Black female tennis player in a predominantly white sport.” Even in private, Townsend revealed that other players reached out to her to express their support. On social media, she gained thousands of followers.If I am someone who can attract large crowds to stadiums, a name that can get people to buy tickets and support the game, then I will gladly wear that crown. Whatever it is, any kind of attention I have brought, it is doing the right thing, which is to get people to watch the sport and support it, and that’s what it’s all about.
Taylor Townsend
Townsend’s journey at the US Open comes more than a decade after the United States Tennis Association (USTA) excluded her from junior competitions due to concerns about her physical condition. In 2012, the organization withheld funds for her tournament participations, urging her to focus on improving her physical fitness. In the following years, Townsend has excelled in doubles, winning Wimbledon last year and the Australian Open earlier this year alongside Katerina Siniakova, with whom she is also the top seed at Flushing Meadows. Townsend, who has yet to get past the fourth round in singles at a Grand Slam tournament, will face Barbora Krejcikova, a two-time Grand Slam champion, on Sunday. If he manages to reach the quarterfinals, his goal is for his experience to serve as an example of the importance of defending himself.It’s great to know that people see you and observe you, and more than anything. I hoped it would be received in a certain way, and it was, so it was just an external validation that I handled things the right way and that’s what makes me most proud and happy. I wasn’t looking for that, and in my answers and when I decided and spoke and said what I said, I wasn’t looking for those things, but it’s good to know that I made people feel proud.
Taylor Townsend
Sometimes I feel that in society, especially people of color, we are expected to remain silent, or sometimes there are moments when we have to decide and be very strategic about when to speak, and in these types of moments, it is important for me to speak, not only for myself, but for my culture. Whatever happens, no matter the attention that comes or whatever it may be, I think it’s about being unconditionally yourself, being happy with who you are and never allowing anyone to take you out of your character and who you are as a person.
Taylor Townsend
