ROLAND GARROS

June 7, 2026

Katerina Siniakova

Taylor Townsend

Press Conference

SINIAKOVA-TOWNSEND/Danilina-Krunic

6-2, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Congrats. Another Roland Garros for you, Katrina, but it's your first one, Taylor. Can you please talk about the chemistry you've had this week to get to this title?

KATERINA SINIAKOVA: Thank you. Yeah, I really enjoyed those two weeks. I think we had really great matches. Some of them tough ones; some of them maybe easier ones.

We definitely did good team spirit. I think we really work hard. I'm just proud of us how we trying to improve, improve our game. So I think this final was really tough, but we did great job.

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Yeah, I mean, for me it's my first Roland Garros title, which means a lot. You know, historically Americans have never been known to do well on clay, so I think that that's been broken a little bit with Coco winning last year, you know, Serena has won in the past.

For me it means a lot. I got close in 2023. We made the final and lost in three sets, which was tough. But, I mean, just a completely different person now than I was then. Now I think that having two Grand Slams under my belt, I felt a lot more prepared and just ready for the moment and excited. The mindset was totally different.

I'm very proud of both of us. I mean, we have both fought through a lot over these past couple of weeks. I was sick first, then Kat, and just conditions, changes from hot to cold.

So we've worked really hard to be able to hold this trophy and stand by this trophy today. I'm really proud of us as a team. Yeah, I'm more motivated than ever, honestly.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Congrats to both of you. Taylor, specifically, you've got three now with Kat. All but the US Open. You just said you're incredibly motivated. I wonder if you could, if you don't mind, look forward to having a shot at the career Grand Slam at the US Open. Kat, how would you feel also about winning all four with Taylor? You've got seven with Barbora, but who knows, you guys might top that as a team?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: I know that's the one on my list, and it's the one I want the most because for me it's at home, and New York is so special and has such a special type of vibe and energy. You want to win at home.

For me the US Open would mean everything for me to be able to win that. Yeah, I mean, I've gotten close several times as well. Lost to her the first time (smiling).

I think it's an honor to even have this position. I'm just so grateful to be where we are, to be fighting every day, to be playing really great tennis as a team and individually as well.

I think both of us are improving every time that we step out on the court. I think that's what's continuing to push us forward.

You know, for me, I don't think that we have a limit to where we can go. As long as we stay healthy in the mind and the body and the spirit is good, I don't see any reason why we can't continue to play some of our best tennis in our latter years.

We both just turned 30 this year, so we're not spring chickens. We've been out on the tour for a really long time, but for me I can speak for myself. I'm playing some of the best tennis, and I feel the best that I've felt in a really long time.

Like I said, I'm more motivated. Yeah, I would love to win the US Open. You know, I have a lot of work to do up until then, and yeah, I just want to stay healthy, good mind, good body, good spirit.

Q. It can be often really hard to replicate success in this sport, and you guys have obviously done that very well with three Grand Slams now and multiple WTA titles. Why do you think it comes so natural to you both as a pair? Either of you can answer.

KATERINA SINIAKOVA: Yeah, I think we already said it few times that, you know, just the chemistry is working because it's really nice when you know that you have someone on the other side, and you can speak anything loud.

You can talk to them, even when you don't feel well or you just don't feel the game on the court, and you can just say it loud and get some conclusion and get, you know, things still going, find, I don't know, solutions.

Yeah, it's really nice. I think sometimes it's really helpful that you also click off the court, because you can stay relaxed more.

But definitely what I think is really strong part of our team that we are lefty and righty. I mean, it's really tricky. The game of me and Taylor is totally different. I think for the opponents it's also really tricky, because we can change it, and we can play almost anything we want. We can just do it during the game.

Yeah, I'm just really glad that we kind of work on everything and play anything, because then it's also making easier for us.

Q. We spoke to Katrina already, so Taylor, a question to you. Congratulations, first, to both of you. You said on court that you've been away from your son. He's back in the States, I presume. How hard is it, and how much time did you spend on FaceTime during those times and days, because it's two weeks for me, missing my son. It's crazy hard. How did you manage it? How are you managing it?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Yeah, it's definitely not easy. You know, the longer stretches like this where it's been seven weeks for me, towards the end I'm, like, okay, I want my bed, you know, I miss my dogs. My whole Instagram algorithm is dogs now. I just miss, like, home.

I have sacrificed a lot since I have come back, and this is one of the things that I decided for myself that was going to be a sacrifice, especially early in his life and while he's been a little bit younger.

When he was younger, he didn't really understand as much, and now he's getting older, he kind of feels it more. I thought it was going to be different, but actually the older he's getting, the harder that it is.

For me, I just always try to say, like, when I'm on the road and I'm making these sacrifices, not being able to be there for the last day of school, the first day of school, the last day of camp, or first day of camp.

My dad actually taught him how to swim yesterday, and they showed me on FaceTime, and I was just like, I'm so proud.

For me these type of moments and these sacrifices that I make, I always say, like, I make it count. It's not always about the trophy. It's more so about the lessons that I learn, the person that I am, what am I bringing back home?

Am I coming back the same person? No. Like, I've grown, I've evolved, I've managed situations, dealt with myself better, learned things about myself that I can then bring to him.

You know, that's my mentality whenever I go and whenever I leave. I try to always make it worthwhile some way, somehow.

Of course, winning a title in a Grand Slam, it's amazing. My dad, he was like, I taped the ceremony, so I'll show it when he wakes up.

For him to be able to see me succeeding, it means a lot to me, but also to be able to bring back lessons and things that I've learned and to come back a better person really drives and motivates me a lot.

So it doesn't get any easier. It's honestly getting harder, but for me that's why I'm really just have my head down. Like I said, I'm more motivated than ever to make these years count and this time count, because you never know how long that it's going to last.

So I'm trying to give everything that I can and put my best foot forward to make an impact for myself and a legacy that I want to leave when I leave the sport, not only for myself, but something that he can look back on as well.

Q. Taylor, I didn't get to talk to you in week one, but I wondered if you could reflect on the moment you had with Coco on Chatrier on the 70th anniversary of Althea Gibson's winningest slam. It's pretty heavy in terms of legacy and breaking barriers and all those things. Did that put wind in your sails for these two weeks here in Paris?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Yeah, I didn't know that that happened until after the match, and honestly, I was fighting for my life during the match. I was so sick.

So I honestly, like, played, and I told my team, I just got to get out of here. I showered, and I was out and went straight and laid down, was in the bed. I just felt really bad even while I was on the court.

So I didn't want to take that moment or anything away, but it definitely meant -- looking back, because I didn't really get to relish in that while I was there and be in my right mind, so to say, but it definitely means a lot.

I always speak about that representation means everything. You know, to be able to play against Coco on the court where she won Roland Garros last year as the defending champion, it doesn't happen very often where you can click on the TV and see two women of color playing against each other on one of the biggest stages in Paris. It's really something special, and I don't take that lightly.

You know, for me I think that I hold it very high in regard to be able to continue to push these narratives forward and continue to represent us in the best way that we can, represent myself, my culture, you know, everything that I stand for. I feel like I'm doing it.

Without even saying any words, for someone to be able to look at that or see that picture of us on the court, I think that that speaks 1,000 words as well.

I feel very honored, and I feel like everyone who is out here now who is a person of color is really making the legacies proud and establishing their own as well.

Q. Question for Taylor. I wonder if there is any progress in Czech language for you?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Oh, my gosh. Again? Tri. God, Kat. I'm very good at saying please, prosim. You give a thumbs up? That was pretty good? See?

I just be, like, prosim, prosim.

KATERINA SINIAKOVA: Champion would be good for you.

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Champion. Don't laugh, I'm working on it (laughing).

Q. What about nespechej (phonetic)? Is it still used?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Nespechej (phonetic)? Yes, her dad tells me this before every match. Come on, nespechej (phonetic). I say, Okay, got it (laughing).