Taylor Townsend from Chicago secures his first Grand Slam title after double victory at Wimbledon

She emerged as the winner!

Taylor Townsend won her first Grand Slam title this weekend, winning the doubles with partner Katerina Siniakova at WimbledonThe Czech-American duo were seeded number 4 and defeated Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe in straight sets. Sportkeeda reports.

Townsend had previously made it to two other Grand Slam doubles finals, at the 2022 US Open and the 2023 French Open. Although she lost both times, Townsend already had a remarkable track record: she had previously been ranked No. 1 in the junior rankings and had won the 2013 Australian Open in girls’ singles and doubles.

However, in 2012, Townsend was banned from competing in the US Open junior tournament by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) because they deemed him “overweight”. The USTA decided not to fund Townsend’s trip to Flushing Meadows, and Townsend paid for the junior tournament out of his own pocket, reaching the quarterfinals before losing.

The aspiring tennis star later wrote about that time for the Players Tribune in 2021, calling the experience extraordinarily frustrating and saying, “It really hurt like hell.”

“Why does my rankings say I’m the best in the world… and my doctor says I can play… and at the same time the USTA says I need to see a nutritionist… and lose weight??? It didn’t make any sense. It was confusing as hell. And it hurt – it really hurt like hell,” Townsend said.

Townsend, now 28 years old and a mother, thanks her own mother for shielding her from a lot of hate back then and reminding her that she was a child and they would take care of “adult business.” Today, twelve years after the discriminatory incident, Townsend has emerged victorious, securing her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon.

First Grand Slam together, first title together 🤯

Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend beat Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe 7-6(5), 7-6(1) and win the women’s doubles trophy 🙌#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/wOCXcMAqp6

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 13, 2024

“I’ve been close a few times, so to get across the finish line here really means a lot to me and to do it at Wimbledon is so special,” Townsend said. reporter.

Cover photo: Taylor Townsend from Chicago secures his first Grand Slam title after double victory at Wimbledon/Image credit: Taylor Townsend/Instagram