'Waterworks, then twerking': Taylor Townsend reacts to reaching Top 10 in doubles

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Just over a year since her return from maternity leave, Taylor Townsend has hit her biggest comeback milestone yet: on Monday, she broke into the WTA Top 10 in doubles with a world No. 6 ranking.

In true Tay Tay fashion, the 27-year-old took fans along for the ride as she learned and reacted to the news. Townsend’s multi-platform social media celebration started on Instagram Stories, but by the time the American hit up Reels things were getting emotional.

“I saw [the new rankings] and I was like, ‘Oh my god I’m so excited! Woohoo, go Taylor!’” Townsend told Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj. “And then I made a Reel, and I was literally bawling, crying.

“I was in tears, because I thought about the journey of what it took to get here and I was like, ‘Holy You-Know-What.’”

Townsend has been experiencing a career renaissance after announcing a break from the game following the 2020 US Open. She gave birth to son Adyn Aubrey Johnson in March of the next year, and spent her time away from the courts enjoying motherhood as well as joining the Tennis Channel family as a popular analyst.

But she’s been back with a vengeance since returning to WTA action last year in April, and her comeback has found a new gear in 2023. After winning back-to-back Adelaide titles to start the season (with Asia Muhammad and Luisa Stefani, respectively), Townsend charged into the Miami Open final with Leylah Fernandez. Townsend and Fernandez went on to reach the Charleston quarterfinals and Madrid semifinals—catapulting the American to a new career-high ranking in the process.

“This time last year, in April—and this is what I put on my Instagram—when I came back, I had no ranking. Zero. I wasn’t even on the computer, I was zero. And now to look a year later, to be Top 5 or Top 6 in the world, it really is a blessing," said Townsend, who also reached the 2022 US Open final with Caty McNally.

“It’s just amazing, because I know that I’ve always been able to do it, but for it to actually come to fruition… I just had a really strong moment of gratitude.”

Townsend took her Top 10 party across all the platforms this week, as she continued to celebrate the moment with a TikTok. But it was at a team dinner later in the evening when reality set in: the 27-year-old is contesting both singles and doubles at the BNL Internazionali BNL d’Italia. And although it’s her first time playing at the Italian 1000 event, Townsend says she was brought even more back down to earth after her coach banned her from eating carbs, including pasta.

“I was like, you’ve got a match to play tomorrow so let’s not get too excited. We’ve still got more work to do,” Townsend explained. “But yeah, I definitely relished in the moment and enjoyed it and I just wanted to show the progression… because you put the post out, but [the fans] don’t really know what goes into it behind the scenes: it’s waterworks, then twerking.”

In singles, Townsend is also making strides. Currently ranked No. 168, she fought through two rounds of qualifying without dropping a set, and on Wednesday defeated Ysaline Bonaventure 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 to book a second-round meeting with top American and No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula.

Townsend will start her doubles campaign on Friday, partnering with Fernandez against Makoto Ninomiya and Monica Niculescu in the opening round.