She’s showing what’s possible when you play on your own terms!
In just her third full season back on the court since giving birth to her son, Taylor Townsend reached the final of the WTA 500 Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, D.C. alongside her partner Shuai Zhang. At 29 years old, the Chicago native officially became the first mother in women’s tennis to ever earn the WTA World No. 1 Doubles ranking, USTA reports. A full-circle win for a player who once held the title of junior world No. 1 over a decade ago.
“This is the most satisfying journey I think I could’ve ever had,” Townsend shared through tears at her post-match press conference. “I’ve accomplished more after becoming a mom than I ever did before.”
Since returning to the tour in 2022, just a year after giving birth, Townsend has reached the quarterfinals or better at the majors nine times in women’s doubles. That’s a major leap from the two she reached prior to motherhood. She’s also become a two-time Grand Slam champion and won multiple Masters 1000 titles, building a résumé that speaks to her resilience and greatness.
Now ranked No. 1 in the world, she’s the 50th player and the 13th American to hold the honor since the WTA rankings began. And she’s not done yet!
Cover photo: Taylor Townsend Becomes First Mother to Reach No. 1 in Women’s Doubles Tennis / Photo Credit: tay_taytownsend / Instagram