Taylor Townsend had one of the biggest nights of his career in Austin. The 27-year-old American reached her first WTA singles final at the ATX Open after beating compatriot Ashlyn Krueger 7-6(6), 6-3 on Center Court. It was not just another victory. It was a moment that felt personal. After the game, she seemed excited, proud and ready to speak her truth. During her on-court interview, Taylor Townsend addressed critics who doubted her comeback after becoming a mother. She said: “It’s been a journey but you know I wouldn’t change it at all because all of those weren’t just delayed gratification, yeah.” She continued, “Ever since I had AJ and came back, I’ve made history.” He then added a strong message: “Everyone needs to talk, they need to eat their words. I’m still standing, I’m still here. I’m not going anywhere and everything is going to get better from here.”
Taylor Townsend beats Ashlyn Krueger at the ATX Open and prepares for the final clash with Peyton Stearns
The semi-final did not start easily for Townsend. Ashlyn Krueger came out strong and won 12 of the first 15 points. Soon, Townsend was down 1-4. But little by little he found his rhythm. He started taking deeper shots and moved forward with confidence. When Krueger served for the set at 5-4, Townsend stayed calm and forced errors to level things up.In the tiebreaker, Townsend took a 5-1 lead. He lost concentration during some points, but showed courage under pressure. After saving a set point, he ended the 63-minute opener with a strong backhand down the line. In the second set, he mixed spins and used smart net play. He broke to 4-3, held serve and closed the match in one hour and 49 minutes with a joyful jump.His day didn’t end there. Townsend also reached the doubles final with Storm Hunter. The top seeds defeated Cathy McNally and Kimberly Birrell 7-5, 6-4. She later shared that it had been an emotional morning because her son, Adyn Aubrey, had to fly home before the semifinal. “Today was really a very, very difficult day for me,” he said. “There were a lot of waterworks on both sides.”Now he is preparing for a great Sunday. In singles she will face Peyton Stearns, who defeated Kimberly Birrell in three sets. In doubles, Townsend and Hunter will face Eudice Chong and Liang En-Shuo.Townsend is two wins away from a rare double-header in Austin. After everything she’s faced, she seems ready for the moment.
