MUBADALA CITI DC OPEN

July 23, 2025

Zhang Shuai

Taylor Townsend

Quick Quotes

TOWNSEND-SHUAI/Baptiste-Williams

6-4, 3-6, 10-6

Q. Walk me through that match. What were some of the high points that allowed you to get through today?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: I think ultimately, like, we just kept plugging away. Yesterday we played such a clean match, and today different opponents, different skill set. They're really, really great players.

I think Venus and Hailey both made in-match adjustments that made it a little bit harder for us to do what we wanted to do, so then we had to adjust. They started hitting different type of serves, started changing their return positions. So they forced us to have to adjust within the match and not to be able to kind of keep doing the same things.

So I think today the key was being quite fluid and being able to adjust to their adjustments, and also, like, continue to try and just play our game. I think that's what came through in the end. We were both playing and, like, okay, I'm really close but it's not quite there.

Then there were some times we connected on some really great shots and they hit some really great shots. I mean, I hit the best serve of the match, match point, and then Hailey hit an amazing return off the forehand. So I was, like, okay, there's nothing you can do about that.

Yeah, I think we were just able to lock in on how we wanted to play.

Q. Do you want to add to anything to that?

ZHANG SHUAI: I agree.

Q. The energy around that match, probably a lot of people going to take that home with them today. What about you? How would you describe the energy?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Yeah, the crowd, I wanted to make sure to acknowledge the crowd, because it was really, really phenomenal. That's the biggest crowd that's been at a match, period. It was really amazing.

For me, it was very special, like, my best friend brought her daughter. Her daughter looks up to me. I FaceTime her all the time. Hi, Taylor. This is her first tennis match. She's four. Her and AJ have been playing all day.

What a match, right? Her mom played at HBCU and at Hamilton and has come to this tournament and has played tennis her whole life. Now her mom is bringing her daughter who is able to watch me and Venus on the same court.

So there is, like, a generational, like, influence that's happening, and that's really what I feel here at this tournament. Like I just feel there is so many turning of inspirations, two generations. Like, I really feel that here, for some reason. I believe it's because Venus playing and, you know, all the people that she's inspired her career all of these years, and now the next generation is coming through, you know. Being able to compete and be in the same place I think is something super special. What better place to do it than in D.C.?

Q. Speaking of D.C., Hailey made a comment that it was the Blackest tournament on the calendar. If you could expound on that for me, how does it feel to be in this place formerly known at Chocolate City as compared to other places on the tour? How does that come out in the way you play, or were you feeling the vibe on the court?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Yeah, it's definitely a vibe. Like you said, we're Black Mecca, and so many amazing people of color doing such phenomenal things.

That's why I loved living here, because I felt there were so many, like, people of color that were just doing such amazing things, and, like, it was so inspiring. So many people on their stuff.

I was here when I was 16, so I'm looking at people older than me, like, wow, you're achieving so many great things. But it does. You have this energy where it's, like wow, we are really showing up for us. That's what I feel. People are coming out and supporting and are very vocal about the support.

I love that, and Shuai is getting a chance to experience what it's like, get that type of love and vice versa.

I'm getting a different cultural influence and fans like she has, you know, that I maybe wouldn't get if we weren't playing together. That's one of the things I really love about tennis as well is being able to mix and, like, merge culture. Because I don't think I would ever have fans from the Czech Republic, but playing with Kat, like, I have gotten so much support from them because they support her so much.

It's a real like mix of, like a braiding and intertwining of cultures that may not ever happen if we weren't able to partner together. I'm really, really enjoying it, and I hope that you are too.