Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams, doubles specialist Taylor Townsend, and former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu were among the standout names at the players’ party ahead of the ATX Open. Embracing the Texas theme, the stars donned cowboy hats and blended tradition with elegance during the celebratory evening.
Venus Williams, Taylor Townsend, Bianca Andreescu, and Others Turn Heads At Players’ Party Ahead of ATX Open
Williams has so far featured only during the Australian hard-court swing in 2026. The American legend began her season at the ASB Classic in Auckland, where she was defeated by fifth seed Magda Linette in the opening round. Her campaign in Hobart followed a similar script, as the former World No. 1 suffered another first-round exit, this time against sixth seed Tatjana Maria.
Williams’ struggles persisted at the Australian Open, where she fell to Olga Danilović in a three-set first-round match, extending what has been a difficult start to her 2026 campaign.
Meanwhile, Andreescu is set to open her 2026 campaign in Texas after a testing 2025 season that ended without a title. The 2019 US Open champion had already seen that year disrupted early on, undergoing an emergency appendectomy in February that delayed her campaign.
Meanwhile, the WTA 250 event in Texas will mark Taylor Townsend’s first outing since the Australian Open. She exited in the opening round of the singles draw after a loss to Hailey Baptiste. In doubles, Townsend advanced to the quarterfinals alongside Kateřina Siniaková, before the pair was defeated by Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunić.
Before shifting focus to the WTA 250 event in Texas, the trio made the most of the players’ party, soaking in the local flavor. Venus Williams, who is in the city with her husband, Italian actor Andrea Preti, was seen posing in a classic cowboy hat, fully embracing the Western vibe.
Fellow players Taylor Townsend, Jennifer Brady, Iva Jovic, and Anna Blinkova also leaned into the Texas theme and turned heads with their own cowboy hat moments. Check out the pictures shared below:
Meanwhile, Andreescu was also seen savoring the occasion, turning heads in an elegant all-black ensemble, layered with a chic light-blue denim jacket. She later shared a snapshot from the evening on Instagram.
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Andreescu has received a wildcard into the main draw and will open her campaign against Dalma Gálfi as she looks to climb up from her current No. 155 ranking.
Meanwhile, Williams is set to face Australia’s Ajla Tomljanović in the first round, while Townsend takes on fifth seed Varvara Gracheva. Fresh off her title run at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, top seed Jessica Pegula begins her campaign against Rebecca Šramková.
