(August 31, 2026) FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – Taylor Townsend marked the debut of a new tennis fashion collaboration and collection with an upset win over No. 20 seed and French Open finalist Maja Chwalinska of Poland, 6-2, 6-3, on the Grandstand court at the US Open on Monday.
“Shout-out to my team, because I’m debuting my new dress,” said Townsend in her on-court interview. “I have a motto. You look good, you feel good. You play good. And I feel good out here.”
Townsend thanked the crowd after her match for their support, “First off, shout out to you guys. You guys packed it out on here. Thank you so much. Whoo Man, it feels good to be back in front of y’all.”
As for the red, black, and white outfit she wore on the court today, she said: “This is just the first one, you guys buckle up, ’cause it’s gonna be really lit.”
“I wanted to do something really cool for the U.S. Open.”
The No. 2 ranked doubles player in the world wants to send a message to women of encouragement to be who they want to be.
“I think I’ve taken a lot of pride in just being able to show up, [be] branded, and to say that I’m doing my own thing,” Townsend said to reporters. “It’s been over a decade that I’ve had a clothing sponsor, and not because we haven’t reached out, not because I haven’t tried, but every time that we reached out, I was let down or I was pushed to the side or people told me they’re not interested in me.
“And so I decided that I always wanted to do my own thing, but now being able to take that creative freedom and put it in my own hands and show up exactly how I want to, the way that I want to, and express myself through clothes and fashion, is super cool.”
“I felt really good. I had a really good week of preparation here between the mixed doubles and then having a chance to really get some good practice in with my coach.”
“I don’t know what’s going on with the randomization of the draws,” Townsend said. “I mean, I’m pulling either the winner or the finalist, like every slam.”
“I know that when I’m focused and when I’m sharp and prepared, I can be anyone that’s on the other side, so it’s really just about believing myself, and thank you guys for showing up.”
Townsend is one of a few mothers on the WTA Tour, so how does she balance playing all three tennis disciplines – singles, doubles and mixed doubles?
“I just think I’m built for it, to be honest,” she said. “Not everyone is, but I am. I’ve been doing it for a lot of years, and it’s something that I enjoy. Um, you know, sometimes it can be very, you know, it’s a drag, especially with the long the long 2 week tournaments if you lose early in singles and you’re playing for 2 weeks and doubles and stuff like that. But, um, I think that I just, I’m built for it and then I really enjoy it. I love doing each, each part of the game, like gives me different things. And so I really enjoy, like, every time I step out on the core, whether singles, doubles, mix doubles, whatever, like, it gives me something.
“And so the mix doubles, even though we lost (she played with Alexander Zverev), like, I got a chance to interact and, you know, hit with Sasha and play with him and talk to him and threaten him (laughs) and spend time and share moments on the court that we never have, and I’ve known him since we were 12 years old and playing juniors and stuff like that. And so, you know, it was able to create a friendship and a relationship that, and hopefully, it blossoms into something great, right? Like, we have each other’s numbers now, and I told them, I’m gonna check on you, make sure to, like, I don’t want to hear talking about a BS. Like, you know what I’m saying? Like, so it’s just it gives you a chance to come together in a different way.
“Singles, I’m having an opportunity to be out there and challenge myself and to problem solve and figure things out and doubles. I have a chance to do the same thing, but with a partner and come together and we work together as a team to win. So each thing gives me something different that feeds me in a different way. And I really just enjoy being out on the court and competing. I a competitor. I a warrior. And so I just love those moments. Um, but I can’t speak for everyone else, but I just, I think that I just have a superpower doing hard sh@$.”
Next up for Townsend will be facing another “Taylor” for a spot in the third round, Taylah Preston of Australia, who beat Alycia Parks on Sunday.
More to follow…
