American Taylor Townsend hopes to compete for a triple crown of trophies at the 2025 US Open across singles, women's doubles and the new-look mixed doubles event, where she will partner with compatriot Ben Shelton.
The Chicago native is in pole position to come into New York as doubles world No. 1 after making her debut atop the WTA rankings on Monday. Townsend clinched the honor by winning the title in Washington, D.C., becoming the 50th player and the 13th American to hold that distinction in the history of the WTA rankings. The milestone creates a full-circle moment for the Chicago native 13 years after she reigned as the junior world No. 1.
“It is a dream,” Townsend said, as quoted on WTATennis.com. “It’s one of the goals that I set for myself when I actually began to think it was attainable.”
Doubles dominance
With her usual partner, previous world No. 1 Katerina Siniakova, playing singles in Prague, Townsend teamed with China's Zhang Shuai for the first time in Washington and ran the table with four wins in the U.S. capital. The second seeds dropped just one set on the week, when they beat Venus Williams and Hailey Baptiste in a match tiebreak in the second round, and clinched the title with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Americans Caroline Dolehide and Sofia Kenin on Sunday.
Townsend is also the first mom to reach doubles No. 1. She returned to the WTA Tour in April 2022 after giving birth to her son, Adyn Aubrey, the previous year. Since returning, she has reached the women's doubles quarterfinals or better at the majors nine times, having previously advanced to that stage just twice.
"Thank you Adyn for giving me a new purpose!" the American wrote in an Instagram post celebrating her rise to No. 1.
Grand Slam glory
Townsend won her first Grand Slam crown last year at Roland Garros with Siniakova and also partnered with the Czech to win the Australian Open this season.
She reached the US Open women's doubles final in 2022 alongside countrywoman Caty McNally and advanced to the quarters (with Leylah Fernandez) and semis (with Siniakova) the past two years. In US Open mixed doubles, she reached the 2023 semis with Shelton and last year's final alongside Donald Young.
Singles success
Many of Townsend's best professional singles results have also come as a mom. She reached a career-high WTA singles ranking of No. 46 last August, fueled in part by her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal showing in Toronto.
The US Open has been her most successful major. As a qualifier in 2019, she stunned fourth seed Simona Halep in a third-set tiebreak, part of a career-best major run to the New York fourth round. She also advanced to the third round in 2023, upsetting 19th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in the second round.
Currently ranked world No. 75, Townsend is set for her 10th US Open main-draw singles appearance this summer.
Tickets for the 2025 US Open, including mixed doubles in Arthur Ashe Stadium, are on sale now via Ticketmaster and USOpen.org. Spectacular awaits!
