Taylor Townsend is on the cusp of achieving a major milestone in her career! After a strong showing at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, D.C., she's just one victory away from becoming the 50th doubles World No. 1. This comes after teaming up with Zhang Shuai to defeat the legendary Venus Williams and Hailey Baptiste in a thrilling match.
Townsend's Impressive Run
Townsend and Zhang secured a 6-4, 3-6, [10-6] victory over Williams and Baptiste, marking Williams' first defeat in the tournament. This win propels them into the semifinals and puts Townsend within striking distance of the coveted No. 1 ranking.
Townsend expressed her admiration for Venus Williams, acknowledging her incredible achievements at 45 years old. "In tennis there always has to be a winner and a loser,” Townsend said. “I want to be on the winning side and I’m going to do everything I can to be on the winning side.”
A Dream Within Reach
For Townsend, reaching World No. 1 would be a dream come true. "I mean, it would be a dream -- it is a dream,” Townsend told wtatennis.com. “It’s one of the goals that I set for myself when I actually began to think it was attainable. When I looked at the rankings, honestly, recently..."
A victory in the semifinals would secure Townsend's place at the top of the PIF WTA Rankings, making her only the 50th player to achieve this feat in four decades and the first mother to reach No. 1 in doubles.
Respect for a Legend
After the match, Townsend praised Venus Williams, acknowledging her competitive spirit and ability to adapt during the game. "I mean, you know, she’s a champion,” Townsend said. "Like I said, I mean, she’s was practising two on one, still hits the ball so clean. Still is such a great competitor..."
The tennis world eagerly awaits to see if Townsend can seize this opportunity and reach the pinnacle of her career.