American Taylor Townsend scored the most spot in prime time at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday night, stunning the fifth seed 7-5, 6-2, reaching the fourth round of the US Open for the first time since 2019.
Entering this Grand Slam tournament, Townsend was not close to Star Power or recognition of the names of fellow Americans Kokogoff and Jessica Pegra. However, half of the world’s top-ranked women’s doubles team and number one as a junior player, it became one of the tournament’s biggest stories after post-match discussions with Jelena Ostapenko and the subsequent discourse surrounding it.
“It’s bigger than me,” Townsend, 29, told court after the game. “It’s about the message. It’s about expression. It’s about bold and you can show up like you yourself. I did that tonight. You guys saw the real Taylor Townsend tonight.”
Townsend hopes that the spotlight from the conflict and her calling attention to it will generally be positive for the US open and tennis.
“If you’re someone who can bring in a large crowd into the stadium as a name that allows people to come and buy tickets and support the game, that’s the crown I’ll be happy to wear,” Townsend said. “Whatever it is, what it brings, it’s doing the right thing. It’s about making people see the sport and supporting people. That’s all.”
Black Townsend and Latvian native Ostapenko had a fierce exchange after Townsend won in straight sets. After their match, Townsend said Ostapenko had gone on to her without apologizing for the netcode, and then used insulting language and questioned Townsend’s intelligence and personality. When asked if she thought there was a racial undertone in the comments, Townsend didn’t take it that way, but said he admitted “it’s a stigma in our community of ‘uneducated’ and when it’s the farthest from the truth.”
Gauff and Naomi osaka were among those who came publicly to defend Townsend. Osaka called Townsend saying that Ostapenko “one of the worst things you can say to a majority of White Sports black tennis players.”
Even personally, Townsend said other players had broached the subject and expressed their support. Online, she has gained thousands of social media followers.
“It’s cool to know people are watching you and people see above all else,” Townsend said. I’m proud. “
Townsend is in the fourth round of the US Open, more than a decade after the American Tennis Association left the junior competition over her fitness concerns. The 2012 organization funded her tournament appearances while focusing on getting her better.
Meanwhile, she dominated in doubles, winning Wimbledon last year, opening earlier this year with her partner Katerina Sr. Koba, and Australian, and the pair are the top seed of the Flushing Meadows.
Townsend, who hasn’t passed the fourth round of singles in the majors, will face two-time Grand Slam singles champion Barbora Klezikova on Sunday.
If Townsend reaches the quarterfinals this time, she hopes for a lesson that it’s okay to stand up on her own.
“Sometimes, I’m expecting society, especially people of color, we’re silent. Or sometimes, sometimes we’re very strategic about when we’re speaking up, and it’s important to speak not just for ourselves but for our culture, at these types of moments,” Townsend said. “No matter what, no matter how much attention is paid, I think you’ll never behave on your own, make you happy who you are, no one can take you out of your character, and never let you be who you are as a person.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.