NY Times · Aug 31, 2019
Taylor Townsend Keeps Going to the Net, and Keeps Going at the U.S. Open
Earl Wilson/The New York Times
The qualifier Taylor Townsend stunned the reigning Wimbledon champion Simona Halep on Thursday by rushing to the net 106 times. On Saturday, there was no reason to change what was working.
Townsend, ranked 116th, came to the net 75 times in her 7-5, 6-2 win over Sorana Cirstea in Louis Armstrong Stadium, including 53 times on serve-and-volley points. She reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time.
In her on-court interview after the match, Townsend said she had been surprised to learn how many people had her phone number, based on the congratulations she received on her win over Halep, but had worked to maintain her focus.