(September, 11, 2026) FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend won the US Open Women’s Doubles by defeating the wild card team of Americans Robin Montgomery and Ashlyn Krueger 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 on Friday afternoon.
For the top seeds, this completed their career Grand Slam as a team. Siniakova already has a personal Golden Slam, one of only seven women to complete it, which also includes Barbora Krejcikova, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Gigi Fernandez, Pam Shriver, and Sara Errani.
Townsend is the only mother ever to accomplish this feat.
In the 1-hour-and-53-minute comeback, it also made Siniakova a two-time career Grand Slam winner. She also won all four major tournaments with her former longtime partner, Krejcikova.
Siniakova and Townsend teamed up for the first time at 2024 Rome and in just their third event together, they won the 2024 Wimbledon title. Last month, they became the first players to qualify for the 2026 WTA Finals Indian Wells.
“There was lot of nerves,” Siniakova said post-match on court. “We were really fighting for this one, so I’m just really proud. We did it.”
“Very proud I think of our team, how we managed to do it,” Siniakova said to open their media conference. “It’s really tough to find any words. I’m just really happy that we managed to win the title, and I think the match was very tight, very tough for us. But, yeah, we found a way to win it. We found a solution.
“So I’m just really happy that we have this one, and we can celebrate it together.”
The finalists, Montgomery and Krueger, won the junior girls’ US Open doubles title five years ago and last teamed up in 2023. Montgomery also won the junior girls singles title that year.
They came into the tournament ranked in the 600s in doubles.
“We put (the wild card) to really good use,” Krueger said.
Krueger and Montgomery talked about their road to the final , which included beating the second and ninth seeds, and about what they learned along the way.
Krueger said: “I mean, I think it takes a lot of grit. We were down match points, and there were a couple of matches where it was very close, and it could have totally not gone our way. You know, we both made up our mind to kind of keep fighting and be uncomfortable and continue to play and be aggressive.
“So in those moments, like, just remembering and reminding each other of that I think was super big. So that translates not only in doubles, but in singles, and I think that’s a really good lesson for us to learn.”
Montgomery: “I think we also learned that we have each other, and I think this past two weeks brought us even closer together.
“I think if, as Ashy said, in matches it could have gone either way, there were definitely moments, but we were both willing to commit to being uncomfortable with each other. During that process, it got, in a way, for us, if I’m not going to do it for myself, I’m going to do it for Ash, and vice versa. I think that really helped us become closer and then also work more together and bring that energy on the court.”
Townsend, 30, was a No. 1 Junior in 2012, the singles and doubles titles at the 2012 Australian Open.
Montgomery is a part of JTCC, Junior Tennis Champions Center, home to the same place where semifinalist Frances Tiafoe trained, who plays on Ashe Stadium later on Friday. This was the first time that both Krueger and Montgomery in the main stadium at the US Open.
“I mean, playing on Ashe is amazing. I think the atmosphere, especially today, was amazing. Honestly, I’m very glad I got to experience that with Ash. Well, Ashlyn. Sorry (laughing).
“I’m very grateful for being able to compete on that court. It’s an amazing experience, and I’ll always remember it.
“As for College Park, obviously it’s great that I was able to compete today on it and Frances is going to play on it later. I think they’re just like a second family. JTCC will always hold a place in Frances’ heart and my heart. I think seeing him do well, as well as Hailey and all of us coming out of there, it just motivates each other even more.
“I’m just glad I made it to the second week to still be with Frances, but I think it’s just community and family. We all push each other just to be better and try to strive for the top.”
“I’m really proud of us,” said Krueger. I think the last two weeks have been amazing for both of us, and really happy that I got to do it with Robin.”
Townsend talked about how they first got together as a team. They first played together in Rome in 2024 and went on to win Wimbledon next.
“We got together through a DM. I always say it. Guys, don’t be scared to slide in the DMs.
“But, yeah, I mean, it was unfortunate. Storm had gotten injured, so Kat was looking for a partner. I was already set with someone, but I was, like, I can’t pass up on this. She’s the best in the world.
“Then even our first year was crazy, because I got injured, so we weren’t even able to play as much as we thought we were going to play. We ended up winning Wimbledon that year and then continued since.
“I mean, what I’ve learned, she’s the best for a reason. I’ve learned more about her as a person. I’ve always had the best success with people who I am friends with and who I enjoy both on the court and off the court.
“I think today, more than a lot of the matches that I’ve played in a while, has been one of those days, because I was really nervous. I told Kat in the first set — we were down 4-1 or 5-2 or something like that — I was, just, like, I’m so nervous, and I’m just tight, and I’m not moving, and I’m not swinging. She just helped me up.
“She talked me through it and helped me to relax and helped me to feel like it’s okay. She kept telling me, It’s okay, it’s normal, it’s fine, it’s a final, it’s okay, you’ll find it.
“I think that’s what I’ve learned is just being able to have someone on my side that is able to help me through these situations and through these moments, and it helps to have someone that’s been here so many times and who has been able to get over the hump — what is it, 12 — 12 times.
“That’s the most important, and being able to feel comfortable enough to speak up and say, This is what I’m feeling, I’m sorry I’m playing like crap, I’m sorry, this is what I’m feeling, and being able to work together as a team to figure that out.
“So that has taken time. It’s taken experiences for us to be able to be comfortable with each other, to be able to speak that way, because you don’t want to feel that way. You want to be able to play your best and hold each other up and present strongly in a Grand Slam final after fighting so hard to get there.
“She really helped me through these moments. Yeah, I think it’s an invaluable thing to have, because that’s where the experience comes in in someone who has been so accomplished and so decorated in the sport. That’s what makes the difference, at least for me.”
“Of course, when I was finding a partner, I needed someone who was playing deuce, right, and I was playing, not few, a lot of times against Taylor, and I knew she can play, like, both sides,” said Siniakova.
“But definitely I felt that she knows what’s doubles. She knew what’s, like, to be at the net, and she wasn’t afraid. So when I was trying to text her, I knew that if I’m going to, you know, take her and we going to play together, definitely she can be really good doubles player.
“It was really good that we could get to know each other. Yeah, definitely Wimbledon show it. So for me I guess was Wimbledon, because we did play one tournament in Rome. Then, yeah, we didn’t play Paris, but Wimbledon, that was it.
“I mean, I knew it’s there. We just need to practice more and get to know each other more and kind of get, you know, the team working. For me, it was beginning.”
Townsend responded to Siniakova : “When she texted me, I already knew because she was a problem for me on the other side, and I was pissed. I’m, like, if I could have her on my side, great, amazing.”
Townsend was asked about the importance of this day, especially for Black American players, and about her, Montgomery, and the night match between Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton.
“I would say that I was fortunate enough to be around Donald Young, and he was a really successful junior and had great success in his career. His parents were my first coaches.
“My first memory was when he won Junior Wimbledon, and he came back and brought the trophy. Then he won — well, he won Junior Australian, and he brought the trophy back with the little stuffed kangaroo. I was, like, How cool, I want to do that.
“So, like, I was fortunate enough to have someone immediately close to me, and he came back and would practice with us. So I looked at him as someone that I wanted to, like, do what he was doing.
“But then when I looked at the women’s game and I saw the Williams sisters, and I saw, like — I remember one of my favorite players was Angie Haynes. I felt like everything that she was was kind of like me. Like, she wore a bandana, she was lefty, had a whip on the ball, like played with sauce. I was, like, Oh, she’s kind of dope.
“I think that being able to see people like sprinkled in there, I think that I always speak about representation, like, you only need one. You need somebody to be able to see that it’s possible, that you can. I’ve said this where if you don’t see it, then it’s harder to believe it, but also, you have to be a certain type of person to want to take on that feat and say, Well, I’m going to carve this path for myself or for someone else or for the others who come after me.
“So for me, I’m so proud to be able to click on the TV and watch Frances and Ben, and one of them is going to be able to be in a Grand Slam final, and that’s a beautiful thing. You know, Robin, myself, you know, it’s been Coco, it’s been a phenomenal US Open for people of color, and just being able to show people, like, it’s possible, you know?
“But we’re not the first; we’re definitely not going to be the last. Even being here and being able to watch even the juniors, and I’m, like, Wow, there are so many more people than even when I was coming up.
“So it’s just such a beautiful thing to see, because the more that I can be out here and present authentically myself and inspire people to pick up a racquet and try something that they never tried or feel like they can or that it’s possible or give the inspiration that they want to do it and say, Hey, like, I want to try this, then that’s what it’s about.
“It’s about paying it forward and inspiring the next generation, because our time is finite. It’s very short when you think about it in terms of the longevity of life, right? The tennis career is very short.
“So I want to have the biggest impact that I can, and if that’s being able to just be out here and be myself and show people that there’s an alternate path or you don’t have to conform or you don’t have to look like everyone else, act like everyone else, talk like everyone else, and you can be you and still successful, then it’s a win for me.
“I also take a lot of pride in that being a mom and having a son who looks at me, and I constantly try and pour into him to know that you’re enough, you’re beautiful, you’re amazing, you’re strong, you’re a light, and just be you. Being you is enough.
“So, yeah, I mean, I don’t know. I hope that whatever that I’m doing is having that ripple effect. I see it. I feel it, and I’m trying to lean into it more, because I get so much love and so much support.
“I take a lot of pride in it, and I’m going to continue to do what I can and show up as myself every single day.”
More to follow….
