By Richard Kent
NEW YORK — She is finally 21 years old and it seems like she has played tennis for years. That is Chicago native and Atlanta resident, Taylor Townsend. She owns a current rank of no. 119 and has been ranked as high as no. 94.
Townsend is unseeded in this year’s US Open, which begins Monday. She opens against unseeded Ana Bogdan of Romania. Townsend was ranked year-end no. 1 in girls’ singles in 2012 and as such, was the first American girl in 30 years to attain that honor.
Townsend was coached by the USTA until 2012 when there was a controversy about her weight on behalf of that organization. She switched to former American great, Zina Garrison who has coached her ever since.
She reached the French Open main draw third round in 2014, upsetting no. 20 seed and French star, Alize Cornet. The 5-foot-7 lefty has not won a main draw match in any other Major, even though she has won qualies matches.
She was the runner-up to well regarded, Genie Bouchard in the 2013 Citi Open, in Washington, D.C. Townsend enjoys the U.S. Open and the crowd support and is poised to win a match or two this year.
It would certainly enhance her not too shabby career earnings to date, of $883,598.
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