US OPEN

September 2, 2025

Katerina Siniakova

Taylor Townsend

Press Conference

SINIAKOVA-TOWNSEND/Fernandez-Williams

6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Ladies, congratulations. Moving on. If you would, could you talk about your level of play today?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Yeah, I'm really happy with the way that we played today. You know, after the match, I felt like we really executed our game plans to a T, and you know, that's the most that we can ask as players. You know, our coaches were really happy with the way we played, as well.

There are times when, especially playing opponents that are that tough and are able to kind of make adjustments on the fly, and Venus is a legend and understands and knows how to win and figure things out when things aren't going her way. And Leylah the same. She always is a fighter.

It really made me very proud, and I'm sure Kat as well, of the way we were able to stay solid from start to finish.

THE MODERATOR: Anything else your partner would like to add?

KATERINA SINIAKOVA: No, I think she said it exactly perfect (laughter).

I think we are both really proud, as T said, so it's really good match from us.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Can you talk about your emotions when you got on the court and see Venus across the way?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: I mean, I told you this yesterday. Actually I felt a lot better today than I did in D.C. You know, especially D.C., there was a lot around every match, but you know, in D.C. that was the first tournament back that Venus had played. Obviously D.C. is known for Chocolate City, so it was just a ton of support just from so many people.

The match was absolutely packed. She played with Hailey, who is a hometown favorite as well. I was super nervous in that match. Then I told my coach, I was like, you know, we won, but I wasn't necessarily happy with the way that I played.

So today it was nice for me, because it was just another match, and so sometimes you need to have those experiences to be able to get through the nerves and get through, like, kind of the nostalgia who is on the other side of the net. As athletes you don't want that to affect you. You don't want to think about it, but sometimes it just happens. For me it happened in D.C., so you know, I got that out of the way.

Then today I was able to just focus on what I wanted to do out there and how we wanted to play.

Q. Women's doubles is in a very good place at the moment. So the last four players are all seeded. Can you talk about the state of women's doubles compared to men's doubles and just how you guys are the pinnacle being the top seeds and doing well at slams?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: So I think that it's amazing. I think that the state of women's doubles is in a really, really cool space.

You know, one of the I think the cool things and unique things about kind of where we are is that they're new partnerships, and so you're able to see kind of people who have been playing for maybe not so long or maybe only a year or season or two come together and are doing really well.

So I think that it's exciting, right? I think that there are some players, a lot of the players who are on this side, also play singles as well. So they all have individual fan bases that are coming together.

I think it's been really cool for Kat and I because it's like a merging of words that would never cross if it wasn't for tennis. I have Czech fans, and she's getting support here in the U.S. that probably she's never gotten before. You know, she's spoken about how it's been so nice to have the home crowd and the crowd on our side.

Yeah, it's really fun, but it's exciting to kind of spearhead this, and you know, both of us have always kind of spoken about how, you know, doubles is no less of a game and no less of a sport. You know, it's equally as hard, and it just takes different skills.

But it takes the same amount of discipline, focus, intention, intensity, but it just requires different skills. Kat and I feel like we are kind of leading the way in terms of trying to be very vocal and try and change the narrative around what people feel and think about doubles and also trying to box you in and feeling like if you're playing doubles or doing well in doubles that you also can't be a good singles player or do well in singles as well.

So I feel like she's been doing this for many, many years and consistently. I'm just, you know, getting started in it, but I feel like we're really kind of spearheading that narrative of trying to change that mentality in people's minds that you don't have to choose or choose a box. You can be everywhere and do everything.

Kat always says as long as her body allows, she's going to do both. I can't agree with that more. As long as I can continue to play and handle the load, I'm going to continue to do both.

Q. Taylor, you spoke a few days ago about your Instagram followers and the increase. What has all of this tournament meant, do you think, for elevating your profile and bringing you to new audiences?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Yeah, it's been fantastic. You know, I wouldn't have it any other way at my home slam. You know, there are a lot of people who are just now experiencing me for the first time and seeing who Taylor Townsend is or learning about who Taylor Townsend is, maybe through an encounter that wasn't the best, but, you know, like I said, I told you guys I'm proud of the way I handled it.

That was a lot of people's first impression of me. Completely removed from me as a tennis player and removed from my accomplishments and accolades and who I am as a tennis player, the way that I handled the situation kind of drew them to me.

But it's very cool. It's been very cool to be able to have this level of exposure, but I feel like I have been prepared for this, because I really have been trying to work on myself and figure out how to create separation and distance from what goes on on the court and off the court. I have gotten pretty good at that.

For me, I said it on the court, when it's time for business, I keep the main thing the main thing, and I tap in when I need to and do the things that I need to. I'm trying to become a TikTok girlie like Coco (laughing).

Even just trying to post on that and just make it fun and entertaining. I'm enjoying it, but I also understand that social media isn't real life, and I'm very grounded with my circle and the people that are around me, which helps a lot.