Taylor Townsend’s 2026 US Open run ended with a 6-4, 6-3 loss to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, but the American still leaves New York with another strong singles showing. The 30-year-old reached the fourth round for the second straight year after beating Diana Shnaider in three sets. Before facing Sabalenka, Townsend had also produced one of the best serving performances of her career, winning all 23 first-serve points against Taylah Preston. Her latest run is another part of a career shaped by setbacks, motherhood and a major rise in doubles.
Taylor Townsend built a different path after becoming a mother
Townsend’s career has never followed a simple route. She made headlines as a teenager, but her progress was affected by difficult experiences away from the court. She has also spoken about problems involving her early earnings and how those experiences changed the way she handled her career.Motherhood later became another major part of her story. Townsend gave birth to her son, Adyn Aubrey, in March 2021 and returned to competition the following year. Since then, she has continued to compete at the highest level while balancing professional tennis with raising her son.Rather than seeing motherhood as the end of her career, Townsend has treated it as part of her motivation. She has also spoken about wanting her son to have a different experience from some of the things she went through as a child.Her doubles career has been especially successful. Townsend became the WTA’s No. 1 doubles player in July 2025 and has won five doubles titles, including Grand Slam success. She is currently No. 2 in the doubles rankings and is coached by Roger Tyzzer.That success has helped Townsend build confidence in singles too. At this year’s US Open, her serve became one of the biggest strengths of her game. Against Preston, she won every point behind her first serve and hit eight aces. Afterward, she joked about whether she had become a “servebot.”“I don’t know. I think they call this a ‘servebot.’ Am I a servebot now? Maybe.”She then credited Reilly Opelka with helping popularize the term among tennis fans.
Taylor Townsend continues to write her own tennis story
Townsend’s fourth-round appearance also added to a growing list of memorable US Open moments. She famously defeated then-World No. 4 Simona Halep at the 2019 tournament and reached the fourth round again this year after beating Shnaider 6-2, 6-7(3), 6-3.Against Sabalenka, Townsend had to deal with a completely different challenge. The defending champion and world No. 1 used her power and consistency to win in straight sets and move into the quarterfinals.Still, Townsend’s tournament showed how far her singles game has come. Her aggressive return position, left-handed serve and willingness to move forward make her uncomfortable for opponents, while her doubles experience has given her another advantage at the net.The result against Sabalenka ended this year’s singles campaign in New York, but it did not erase what Townsend had already achieved. She reached the fourth round at a Grand Slam again while continuing to compete as one of the world’s best doubles players.For Townsend, that is another step in a career she has built on her own terms. Her story now includes elite doubles success, motherhood and a renewed singles run – all after years in which many people were unsure where her career would go.