(September 4, 2026) FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – No. 96 Taylor Townsend is back in the sweet 16 at the US Open. The 30-year-old American, former No. 1 doubles player and junior player, upset No. 15 seed Diana Shnaider in Stadium 17, 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-3. At the end of the match, Townsend was very emotional.
The American was serving for the match at 6-2, 5-4, but errors crept into her game but she found her form in the third set.
“It was a tough match today, especially having been up a set and 5-3 serving for it. Diana really stepped up her game. She played some really great tennis. It was a back and forth. It was a battle, had chances.
“But I just really tried to regroup and just tell myself, like — I didn’t feel like I was doing anything wrong. I didn’t feel like I was doing anything, like, you know, bad, but I felt like I just needed to step up and take it. That’s what I was telling myself.
“When I had the opportunity to do it when I was serving, I said to myself, I have one of the best serves in the world, and that’s how I’m going to serve, and I’m going to go for it. That’s what I did.”
Townsend talked about her journey in tennis and how emotional she was at the end of the match. “Well, I mean, there have been so many people that have been following my journey for so many years. I mean, I have been pro since I was 15. I turned 30 this year, so 15 years.
“There has been a lot that’s happened and transpired over that time, but I spoke about both. I was speaking about, you know, that and everything that I have overcome in the public eye, but then also behind closed doors. I have been through a lot over this past year.
“The people who are in my inner circle know. That’s really what brought the tears, because, you know, I just really know all the things that I have had to fight through and overcome and that I’ve had to endure and work through.
“So, you know, I said it on my on-court interview. I was feeling nervous, and I was putting a lot of pressure on myself coming in. And during the Fan Week, I was nervous because I just wanted to really perform and do well and, you know, have a good run here.”
“You know, obviously in the back of your mind, Oh, you made the fourth round last year, you’ve got to do it, and tennis is crazy where you have to do what you did the year before to get points.
“It’s a lot of, you know, added pressure that can be there. You know, I was feeling some of it, and I was adding onto it, which isn’t always the best thing. So I really just was able to kind of dissect that with my coach.
“Then we went out on the practice court and just tackled it. One day at a time, one thing at a time, one session at a time, until I felt by the time the first round came, I was, like, I’m ready, I’m good. Everything that I was feeling, any doubt that I had was gone.
“There are some times where you have to talk things out, but then the situation was more so of just putting things into action and just showing myself on the practice court, and like, I’m good, I got this.”
Townsend hit five aces, was 5 for 8 on break points with39 winners versus 30 unforced errors.
Townsend, who has beaten two seeds so far in this tournament, No. 20 and No. 15, will get the biggest test on Sunday when she’ll play No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
“I think I’m ready for the crowd situation,” Sabalenka said. “She’s a great player. Coming back after having a baby, that was amazing moment for her.
“She’s, I’d say, tricky player, because she brings the variety, comes to the net, really make you think during the game.”
“It’s going to be a great battle,” she added.
This will be her first time the players have faced each other on tour.
