American Taylor Townsend made probably the most of a spot in prime time at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday evening, beautiful fifth-seeded Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-2 to succeed in the fourth spherical of the US Open for the primary time since 2019.
Going into this Grand Slam event, Townsend had nowhere close to the star energy or the identify recognition of fellow Individuals Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, and he or she isn’t seeded in singles play. But, Townsend, who’s half of the top-ranked girls’s doubles group on this planet and was No. 1 as a junior participant, has develop into one of many largest tales of the event after her postmatch argument with Jelena Ostapenko and the next discourse surrounding it.
“It is greater than me,” Townsend, 29, mentioned on the courtroom after the match. “It is in regards to the message. It is in regards to the illustration. It is about being daring and with the ability to present up as your self and I did that tonight. You guys noticed the actual Taylor Townsend tonight.”
Townsend hopes the highlight from the confrontation and her calling consideration to it may be a optimistic for the US Open and tennis typically.
“If I am somebody who can draw large crowds into the stadiums as a reputation that may convey folks to return and purchase tickets and assist the sport, then that is a crown that I am going to gladly put on,” Townsend mentioned. “No matter that it’s, no matter kind of consideration that it introduced, it is doing the fitting issues, which is convey folks to see the game and bringing folks in to assist, and that is what it is all about.”
Townsend, who’s Black, and Ostapenko, who’s from Latvia, had an intense back-and-forth after Townsend received in straight units. After their match, Townsend mentioned Ostapenko berated her for not apologizing for a internet wire after which used insulting language and questioned Townsend’s mind and character. When requested if she thought the feedback had racial undertones, Townsend mentioned she did not take it that approach however acknowledged, “That has been a stigma in our neighborhood of being ‘not educated’ and the entire issues, when it is the furthest factor from the reality.”
Gauff and Naomi Osaka have been amongst those that publicly got here to Townsend’s protection. Osaka referred to as what Townsend reported Ostapenko saying “one of many worst issues you may say to a Black tennis participant in a majority white sport.”
Even privately, Townsend mentioned different gamers broached the topic and expressed their assist. On-line, she gained hundreds of social media followers.
“It is cool to know that folks see you and individuals are watching and greater than something,” Townsend mentioned, “I hoped that it was acquired a sure kind of approach, and it was, so it was simply exterior validation that I dealt with issues the fitting approach and that is what I am probably the most happy with and probably the most pleased with. I wasn’t on the lookout for that, and in my solutions and after I determined and I spoke and I mentioned what I mentioned, I wasn’t on the lookout for these issues, however it’s good to know that I made folks proud.”
Townsend is within the fourth spherical on the US Open, greater than a decade after the U.S. Tennis Affiliation held her out of junior competitors over issues about her health. The group in 2012 withheld funding her event appearances whereas she targeted on getting in higher form.
In the mean time, she has develop into dominant in doubles, profitable Wimbledon final yr and the Australian Open earlier this yr with accomplice Katerina Siniakova, and the pair is the highest seed in Flushing Meadows.
Townsend, who has not gotten previous the fourth spherical in singles at a significant, will face two-time Grand Slam singles champion Barbora Krejcikova on Sunday.
If Townsend reaches the quarterfinals this time, she desires the lesson to be that it’s OK to face up for your self.
“Typically, I really feel like in society, particularly folks of coloration, we’re anticipated to be silenced, or generally, there are occasions the place we have now to resolve and be very strategic as to once we converse up, and in these kind of moments, it is vital for me to talk up, not just for myself however for my tradition,” Townsend mentioned. “It doesn’t matter what, it doesn’t matter what consideration comes or no matter, I feel it is about being unapologetically your self, be pleased in who you’re and by no means enable anybody to take you out of your character and who you’re as an individual.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.