If there is one proof that it is possible to rebound from a series of mishaps in the world of tennis, it is Taylor Townsend. The 23-year old American rising star’s career is comparable to the proverbial roller coaster. Townsend is among the few professional tennis players who have reached the world top 100 in both singles and doubles categories. With her decent performances in the Grand Slams, she has earned an army of fans.
Taylor Townsend Bio & Personal Life
Townsend was born to high school administrator parents, who invested in her and her sister’s tennis dreams. Her parents, Gary and Sheila Townsend, introduced her to the sport of tennis when she was six years old. She became part of Kamau Murray’s XS Tennis program later.
She then started training under Donald Young Sr. when she was eight, which required her to move to Atlanta. Six years later, she then moved to Boca Raton, Florida after she qualified for the USTA development program.
She became the subject of controversy in 2012 after the USTA refused to fund and grant her request to become a wildcard in the 2012 junior U.S. Open tournament. This was despite the fact that she was the top-ranked junior girl in the world. The USTA’s decision was criticized by icons Martina Navratilova and Lindsay Davenport.
Townsend, who stands at 5’ 7” (1.70m) is secretive about her personal life. It is unknown if she is in a relationship.
Professional Career & Record
Townsend started competing professionally as a junior player in 2010. By 2012, she already managed to win the singles and doubles finals in the Australian Open, a rare feat in any junior Grand Slam event. She also won the junior championship titles in Wimbledon and U.S. Open. She became a sensation in the junior tennis circuit, which was punctuated by her reaching the no. 1 rank in the ITF juniors.
She transitioned to the WTA as a senior professional in 2013, competing in both singles and doubles matches. For her senior Grand Slam debut, she became a wild card entry in the 2012 French Open. She managed to reach the third round, defeating two top 100 players in the process.
In 2015, Townsend reached the world top 100 for the first time in her career. That year, however, represented a decline for Townsend’s wins. She struggled with her form and by April, she was already out of the top 100. It went so bad that she ended 2015 outside the top 300.
Townsend worked hard to be better, working on her form with her childhood coach Donald Young Sr. With her solid performance, she broke into the top 100 again. She reached her career-high rank of no. 61 in July 2018. The next year, Townsend achieved her first victory against a top 10 player when she defeated no. 4 Simona Halep.
Taylor Townsend’s ranking and performance in 2019 so far
Ranked no.116, the American played her last match on the 2nd of September when she lost Bianca Vanessa Andreescu 6-1 4-6 6-2 in the 4th round in U.S. Open.
Taylor Townsend |
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