MUBADALA CITI DC OPEN

July 26, 2025

Taylor Townsend

Zhang Shuai

Press Conference

SHUAI-TOWNSEND/Dolehide-Kenin

6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations to you both. Can you share your thoughts on the match and on your time here in D.C.?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: The match was amazing. I think this was the best that we have played. From the beginning, we came out really clear of how we wanted to play, were just super free, and I think it showed just from start to finish. We played really, really well.

My coach texted me, it was, like, Whoa, I think you learned how to play tennis (laughter).

It's so funny. I didn't miss. I was, like, okay, these are the matches we put in the books. It was really great. I had a great time out there and it was fun.

Yeah, I have had a great time here in D.C. It holds some really special memories for me, and I will cherish this week for the rest of my life.

You know, it's super special for me. It was special last year even, you know, coming here. This was the first tournament after winning my first Grand Slam, and then being able to come and get the trophy here last year and then this year, obviously being able to clinch the No. 1 doubles spot in the world, and then being able to come back and get the trophy again today in the fashion that we did of being able to play at the quality and the level we played, I hold it near and dear to my heart.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. For both you guys, there was a moment in that presentation on the court where they were saying you were the first mother to reach No. 1 in the world, and Shuai, you walked up to the stands, got AG out of the stands. For both of you guys, for Shuai, to go up and get AJ out, and for Taylor, for you to see your son on the court in that moment, what was that like for both of you guys?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Well, it was amazing for me. You know, I have dreamt of moments like this, and I have envisioned having moments like that since he was born. I didn't know when it would happen or how it would happen or where it would happen, but I have dreamt of it. It's very special for me.

Shuai, she's one of the most kind and considerate people I have ever met. It's really hard to find that in the tennis world, honestly. So, you know, for her to be, like, No, I'm going to get him, because he needs to be here, you know, it was really special.

This has been honestly a dream come true on so many different levels, and for him to be here -- I tell him all the time, you know, even after Wimbledon, when I left last year, I told him, I'm going to bring you back a trophy. And we had a trophy party, because I wanted him to know I'm leaving for a reason. I'm gone for all these weeks.

He has said so many times this week, I miss you while -- where were you? Paris, London? I miss you so much. He's been saying it so many times. I know he really misses me.

These moments create those core memories. I don't know if you've seen "Inside Out," but when the core memory drops down, that's what I feel like is happening. And it's really special to be able to have the pictures and the videos and these moments where I'll be able to go back to it. And to share it with Shuai is, like, it's really phenomenal.

Again, it's something I have dreamed about since he was born, and I set it as a goal. I didn't know how or if it would happen, and so it's really special for me. Not only just AJ but, you know, I had my best friend here. She lives here. She's a firefighter here. She was able to come out. And, you know, his caretaker, Carrie, who it literally wouldn't be possible for me to do what I'm doing if she wasn't around and in my corner.

So there are a lot of really special people that were here and a lot of pieces that go into this puzzle to make it work. You know, I would never take all the credit. You know, I'm out there and doing the work, but it's a lot of moving parts behind the scenes that make this possible.

Q. Shuai, congratulations. You have played with a lot of players before, had a lot of partners, had success with a lot of different partners. I know this is your first time with Taylor, but why did you want to play with her? And what sort of unique qualities do you see in her as a partner?

ZHANG SHUAI: Yeah, I always ask Taylor if I have chance to play with her, because she's the best. I mean, we play couple of times, all Grand Slam last year, US Open, this year Australian Open, French Open, Dubai. So we know each other on court very well, but we are not talking this much off court. So this week we talking about life, not only tennis, you know, not only on court. We talk about many things, so we feel like, oh, we are so many, you know, kind of like same personality.

So that's make us so easy on court. So we feel like, you know, when we on court, we are like -- we first time play together but we feel like one person, you know. I mean, but not everyone like this.

Some player you play many times, but you still feel like, oh, we are, like, I play my style; she play her style. But I feel like we are same style. That's what we talking about before we decide to play together.

And also, I know the feeling, three years ago I'm almost No. 10, only 10 points become No. 1, in the same week after Wimbledon. And I say, like, Oh, I know the feeling.

So I try to come here and, yeah, I want Taylor dream coming true, because I know the feeling. If you miss the time, and then maybe you have to wait another one year, two years, three years, maybe five or so. I don't want she waits. I want she win just this week (smiling).

Q. Taylor, you had a relatively narrow window to get this particular opportunity to get No. 1. How much was that on your mind? You have two Washington titles on your ranking now. How much pressure did you feel like to "8 Mile," this was your moment here?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: I had no idea, honestly. I haven't looked at the doubles rankings. I didn't even know I was close before my coach told me, like, post-French Open, I believe, or, you know, whatever.

Because in my mind, I'm playing with Kat and she's won, so every time that we win, I feel like the gap is getting bigger. So I never looked to see. I'm just, like, Okay, we're moving the gap bigger between 2 and 3. That was my mentality.

But I didn't know if I was that close. I honestly didn't -- I had no idea that that was even the case until two days ago when I did media, and they were, like, hey, I had the headphones on, hey, just to let you know, if you win tomorrow you're going to be -- I was, like, Oh, okay.

I think it's better this way, honestly. But I had no clue. My coach knew, and he told everyone on my team, like, Don't say anything. Just let her play.

So I guess it's better, because that's exactly what I did. I just played. Yeah, I had a great week in singles, as well. And I think that's one of the reasons why I played so well today, as well. Because I have been really playing some good tennis and some good ball out on the singles court, as well, so it translated over.

Q. Have you talked to Kat since?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Yeah, Kat sent me a message on Instagram. She replied to one of my stories. She was, like, You did it. And kind of put the teary-eyed emoji and a heart. I was, like, Thank you so much.

It's special, because she's been there for a while, and I said the first time only happens one time. It feels good also to know that we're partners and she supports me as well.

Like it's not a thing where we're doing this. And the same like this. She's supporting me as well.

Q. Both of you are still balancing singles and doubles. I thought I read that you were supposed to play in Montreal qualifying today or tomorrow.

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Today.

Q. I was curious, what does that partnership discussion look like behind the scenes when you go really deep in a doubles event but you also have singles quallies your first round the next event? How did you talk through that?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: We spoke yesterday on the court, and I was, like, Hey, what are you going to do? I was, like, Are you going to try and fly out?

She's, like, No, no. I do what's natural.

I say, You know what? That's smart. (Laughter.)

But for me, you know, the slot originally was for 12:00, but it was just so late and I took her advice. I did this last year where I went from tournament to tournament to tournament, like leaving and playing the same day.

It worked out, but it's like sometimes it doesn't really make sense. So I called my coach, and he was just, like, yeah, finish what you've started, rather get the title than to maybe fly and do all the things and get there and you not play your best tennis. Anything can happen.

So I did what felt natural, and it felt natural to finish here, to get the trophy, to do our best here, and then we start next week. It's better, I mean, have a couple of days where we can recover. The doubles starts on Wednesday of next week in Montreal, so we have a couple of days to adjust and get used to the conditions.

So it's good. Sometimes, you know, make those different type of adjustments, but Shuai and I had spoken before this tournament and she said, I'm doing this. These three weeks are for you. So we're in similar situations in terms of our rankings and being in quallies and doing the same.

It also helps because it doesn't always put so much pressure on you as a partner to have to make a decision. You know, we're in the same boat, so we can speak because we are in the same position. If we are agreeing, then we are agreeing.

Yeah, it's no pressure. We're just kind of doing what's natural.

Q. This is kind of a full-circle moment for you, because 12 years ago, this is where you made your first WTA final with Genie.

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Oh, wow.

Q. What would you, as a 29-year-old Grand Slam champion, now a World No. 1, what would you tell 17-year-old Taylor?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Whew, that's loaded. I think I would tell 17-year-old Taylor to just trust her gut. I would tell her just to listen to yourself and just sometimes your nos are just as powerful as your yeses.

The times where you feel like you're getting told no or things aren't going the way you think or expecting is sometimes the best thing, because it's preparing you for elevation in other places and spaces.

I have had a lot of nos in my career, a lot of nos, and there will continue to be more. But a lot of people telling me you can't do this or it's not going to happen or you're not going to be this or you can't do that.

You know, if I would have listened, I don't think I would even still have a racquet in my hand. I would just tell her to keep trusting your gut and your heart and just keep going. I'm most proud of myself, because this has been a dream, but there have been so many roadblocks that could have made me stop and I just refused to stop.

Sometimes it was harder to say no, I'm not stopping, than other times. There are times where I felt a little bit more weak and, like, I don't know if I can keep going, I don't know if I can keep doing this.

But, yeah, I would just tell her to trust your gut. You've got this, and just keep going, because the road, even though it's bumpy, is going to be worth it when you get to where you're trying to go and where you have dreamt of being.