US OPEN

September 6, 2026

Taylor Townsend

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/T. Townsend

6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Taylor, not the result you wanted. I wanted to ask your outfit, the walk-out, can you talk about what inspired it, what it was made of. It looked heavy.

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: No, it actually was really light. It was feathers. That's what Anthony wanted to make sure, that it was light and airy. There was a bit of a breeze, so you saw maybe the jacket kind of flowing a little bit.

But the inspiration behind that was really just something very, like, beautiful and kind of dramatic and giving its own, like, moment.

The dress was really pretty. The dress kind of had all the elements that I wanted, pleats and fringe movement, stuff like that, rhinestones. But we wanted to add a little flare, you know, with the jacket.

It photographed really nicely, and it was really cool. It was something that, honestly, just wanted to kind of have a little bit of a moment. It was more so of, like, a thing where it's, like, we have this amazing jacket. Then you take it off, and you reveal this beautiful dress.

So it wasn't really anything, you know, crazy that was really put into it, but also, it's kind of like I felt like it was, you know, you're taking off, like, your -- I don't know. Taking something off and then you're, like, boom, I'm ready for war, I'm ready to go. So it's like I have my armor underneath this jacket.

Yeah, I felt really good. I felt really confident walking out on the court. I saw some videos of it, because you know, you don't know what it looks like on the outside. I saw some videos, and it looked really cool.

So I'm happy I was able to have that moment.

Q. Tough luck today, but like, the match was moving pretty quickly with a lot of momentum shifts. Did you feel that way on court? Were you feeling like you were trying to do things maybe to slow down the play? It feels like by the end, things went very quickly?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Yeah, I mean, the first four games with four breaks a serve, so I mean, I felt like I was -- I don't feel. I was returning really well today.

Yeah, I just think that there were a couple of times where just a couple of points rolled, you know, quickly, and then there was a point or a game where I was up 40-Love, banged two aces. You know, one unforced error, you're back to deuce.

With someone like Aryna, who is at that level and at that caliber, you know, you really have to take advantage of every opportunity that you have.

Her serve, when she needed it, was really, really good, which you know, I wasn't able to get a ton of free points or a ton of second serves in those moments when I was up.

But, yeah, I mean, it was a lot of back and forth. I mean, I was down 5-2, came back 5-4. You know, she was able to hold serve in a back-and-forth game. I was up 3-1.

So it was a lot of different momentum shifts, and I think when I looked at the stats and I was talking to my coach, we were pretty dead even for a majority of the match. I mean, there were only -- maybe towards the end, there was a few points, but for the majority of the match we were right here.

When I break it down, you know, it's not the result I want, but that's where I need to be. You know, we said -- we talked about it.

If I could flip over, you know, 10 to 12 points, that could make a really big difference. So 10 points, you know, I feel like I can do that, where maybe made some loose unforced errors or tried to press or tried to do too much at times when I really didn't have to.

So, you know, it's a learning experience. But, you know, I'm really happy for the moment, and I think going out in this match, this was the most comfortable and confident I've ever been playing against a No. 1 player in the world.

From the beginning I felt like I belonged. From the beginning I felt like I was right where I needed to be. I still feel that way.

So I'm playing really great tennis. One of the tournament referees came up to my coach and told him that I'm the only person left in the tournament that was in singles and doubles, so it's really a phenomenal thing.

For me, I wear that very proudly. My tournament isn't over yet. I still have doubles, and I'm going to do the best that I can there.

Q. You're one of ten American men and women combined to make it to the fourth round. It's the first time since 2002 that that's happened. What does that mean to you? What does that say about American tennis at the moment?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: American tennis has been on the up and up for many years now. There have been a really consistent chunk of players, you know, Jess, Coco, you know, have been at the top and inside the top 5 for the last I don't know how many years. Ben, Frances, Tommy, Taylor, you know, it's just such a great group of men, as well.

I'm honored to be a part of that. I think that, you know, it goes to show I think we all really enjoy and love playing here and playing at home. We really feed off of the crowd and the energy.

But I give credit, as well, to the staff and Haley, Christine, Eric. They've really done such a phenomenal job with, like, making sure that we have everything that we need. Just from my personal experience of having played on tour for all these years, that's not the case.

That's not always the case when you go to other tournaments and other slams where you're not, you know, the home favorite or maybe you're not a top player, so you don't really get those priorities.

I've really gotten literally everything that I've needed between practice, and they've really done such a phenomenal job. So I'm super thankful to be able to have this experience as an American player, you know, for the last slam of the year.

Like I said, I'm going to keep it going. I'm excited about doubles and seeing what I can do there.

Q. How would you describe the state of Aryna's game at this moment, knowing, of course, that she won two straight US Opens, but has had some hiccups this season?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Well, I mean, I know I'm a really good sports analyst (laughing). But for someone who was playing her, I can't really speak on how she feels about her game, you know, from the outside.

I think there's a lot of expectation on her with having been a defending champion and World No. 1 and all of these things. I've seen things about, you know, the rankings and all this stuff. So I can't really speak to how she feels, but I know how I felt on the other side, which was, like, I felt like I had everything that I needed to compete with her.

I think that she's a really phenomenal player. She's proven herself time and time again. Winning this two times in a row is not an easy feat.

She's a really, really great competitor, because there were some times where things got tough in the match and came up with some really great shots where there were some sometimes where I just had to clap it up. I'm, like, Too good. That's what happens when you are playing the best players in the world.

So I can't speak on how she feels about her game, but I know for me, like, it was really fun to be on the other side of the net.

For me, it motivates me even more, because I know, especially when I look at the stat board where that stuff doesn't lie. You can say, Oh, I felt this or I felt that, but when you look at the stats and you're right there, it just really motivates me to say, Okay, I'm there, and I just need to keep going and putting myself in these positions, continue to give myself these opportunities, and eventually I'll take advantage of it.

Q. I'm curious what message you would have to say to your fans, both those that have been on this ride with you for quite some time and those that have come aboard the last 53 weeks or so.

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Well, I mean, the ones that have been following me, I think that -- shout-out to you guys.

But, no, I think it's really nice to be able to have people that have been following my journey, because I think it's really satisfying for people to be able to see me show up the way that I am, because with all the things that I've been through over the last 15 years, just in the public eye alone, and not even the things that people know that have happened behind closed doors or the things that I've had to deal with or face or overcome, you know, in silence or by myself.

So I think that it's -- I'm very honored to have people that have been on this journey with me and have followed me for these 15 years, because it's phenomenal. I think that it's really satisfying, and I think that as a fan -- like, a lot of people feel like they really know me (laughing). I think that that's cool.

Being able to follow me from a teenager that's wearing a bow and braces and all this stuff to now a grown woman who is a mom and I'm 30 and just really owning every single part of who I am, both on and off the court, and being able to say and really feel unapologetically myself.

I'm very, very thankful for the people that followed me thus far, but also, the people who have come, you know, welcome to the show. I said that last year. It's fun.

I really feel like over this last, probably, year I've really been able to highlight, you know, who I am, my personality, my game. I've created moments for myself that have been really, really fun to take advantage of.

Now I'm doing things my way. I'm doing things that are fun. I'm doing things that are unique to me that don't look like things that other people are doing, and I'm finding and creating my own way, which is really fun.

So I hope that it's inspiring. I hope that it's entertaining. I don't take it lightly. Each and every person that supports me, really credit to them, because I always say this: Without the fans and without the people that are supporting us in the sport, there's not us.

I played in the COVID year where this entire facility was completely empty. That was a real wake-up call as to how important the fans are. So for me, ever since that year, I would never take fans and people who come out and support and buy tickets and show up and cheer and have 15 Honey Deuces, I will never take that for granted again.

Yeah, thank you to all the fans. Thank you to the people supporting me. I keep saying this, I don't want to say this because I don't feel like we're just getting started, but the train is rolling.