US tennis star Taylor Townsend will rise to the top of the PIF WTA rankings next week after she reached the doubles final at the Mubadala Citi Open in Washington, D.C., alongside China’s Zhang Shuai.
The American has shared her thoughts after climbing the rankings’ summit.
What Taylor Townsend Said After Sealing the No. 1 Ranking in Women’s Doubles
Townsend was ecstatic after discovering she would become the No. 1 doubles player when the new rankings chart is released next week. “Taylor Townsend, #1 in the WORLD,” the American wrote in a post on Instagram. “First mom to ever be a world #1,” she added.
Townsend gave birth to her son, Adyn Aubrey Johnson, on March 14, 2021, and took a brief sabbatical from the sport.
She continued on Instagram, “This is a literal dream come true! Thank you Adyn for giving me a new purpose!” She also thanked her coach, John Williams, with whom she has worked since 2009.
“Thank you @elevatewithjohn for all that we have done to make my dreams a reality,” Townsend wrote, adding, “Love you guy.”
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Townsend also added a video to the post where she reacted to the news of climbing to No. 1 worldwide. She said, “I remember writing this as a kid, and this was a dream of mine. It’s crazy that it’s happened after having my son.”
Townsend continued, “I’m beaming inside. I am not going to say I can’t believe it, because I can, and I have worked really hard for it. But, I am so happy.”
The American also thanked her Chinese partner for helping her achieve her goal.
“She came here to play with me, to help me get this ranking,” Townsend said of Shuai. “I appreciate you for doing this with me.”
Townsend has found a firm footing in doubles in recent years, winning two major titles at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships and the 2025 Australian Open, both with Kateřina Siniaková. Notably, Townsend will replace Siniaková in the top spot of the rankings.
Townsend’s ascent to the top of the rankings came 13 years after she reigned as the top-ranked junior. The 29-year-old will become the 50th and 13th American player to rise to the top spot in WTA doubles rankings history.
“It is a dream,” Townsend said of her new achievement. “It’s one of the goals that I set for myself when I actually began to think it was attainable.”
Taylor Townsend Also Made Significant Strides in the Singles Section of the Draw
The lefty also performed commendably in the singles draw, reaching the quarterfinals before bowing to Canadian tennis star Leylah Fernandez.
In the previous round, she had blitzed past compatriot Sofia Kenin, who was seeded sixth at the tournament, with a score of 6-3, 6-0.
Townsend has also succeeded in singles, having risen to her career-high ranking of No. 46 last August. Her best significant result came in 2019, when she reached the fourth round of the US Open.
