Thirteen years after ruling the junior stage as World No. 1, Taylor Townsend roared back to etch her name into tennis history. On a blazing Friday at the 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open, the American powerhouse seized the World No. 1 doubles crown after advancing to the final with Zhang Shuai, their path cleared when Emma Raducanu and Elena Rybakina retired mid-battle. “I loved watching doubles, especially Martina Navratilova play, and it’s an incredible honor to join the list of amazing players to have earned the No. 1 ranking,” she declared. And today, she lifted the Citi DC Open trophy, tears marking a mother’s monumental conquest.

Taylor Townsend and Zhang Shuai stormed to the women’s doubles crown at the 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open, dismantling Caroline Dolehide and Sofia Kenin 6–1, 6–1 in the final. A defending champion after lifting the 2024 title alongside Asia Muhammad, Townsend showcased that her brilliance transcends partnerships and courts. While her frequent collaborator Katerina Siniakova owns 30 doubles titles and 10 Grand Slams, most with Barbora Krejcikova, Townsend has carved her own ruthless path, proving she can conquer any surface with any ally. 

Yet the heartbeat of her triumph beats louder: a tennis mom rising to World No. 1, a feat untouched until now. After battling a concussion at the Miami Open and enduring its relentless aftermath, she returned unbroken. On home soil, trophy in hand, she let tears of raw joy fall, crowning a story of fire, grit, and unstoppable ascent. Right after lifting the Citi DC Open trophy, Taylor Townsend stood on court, emotions surging like a storm she could no longer contain. “Honestly, I have no words. I am not going to say that I can’t believe it, but it seemed like such a long shot, and we work really hard,” she confessed, her voice steady yet breaking under the weight of the moment, before moving on to express her gratitude for the people who have stood by her.

“And you know, it’s really special for to me to be able to have my friends and family, everyone in this corner. This would not be possible without you guys, so thank you,” she said, as the camera showed her close ones standing in applause of her achievement. Being a mom herself, she also couldn’t help but acknowledge the efforts of her dear friend April Buckles, who’s expecting, “I got my mom-to-be, April. Thank you for driving to see me.”

Her gratitude only deepened as she continued. “KJ, his parents, you know, this just means so much. And like we work really hard and we write things down and you, I not gonna say I believed that it was possible, but I didn’t know. It was just a dream of mine,” she admitted. Then came the raw slip of realization: “And you know, it hasn’t really.l sunk in until just now, so I don’t know, I am sorry for crying.

Townsend’s words carried the echoes of sacrifice and resilience. “But, it really means so much and also my coaches are here, John (Williams) isn’t here but I want to tell him, you know, thank you, it’s been a lot of literal blood, sweat, tears going into this,” she said, a line that struck like steel wrapped in velvet, hard-earned truth softened by humility.

Then, in a moment that stilled the entire arena, she knelt slightly and turned to her son standing courtside. “This is all for you, baby. I love you so much,” she whispered, the kind of vow that builds legacies bigger than titles or rankings.

But Townsend wasn’t done; she had more to say, more to claim. “And lastly, you know, you guys know I have to pop my stuff. It’s crazy how you just switch up. But I came here last year and won this title after winning Wimbledon, which was my first grand slam. So a two-peat as No. 1 ain’t so bad, so thank you guys and let’s keep it going,” she declared, fire flashing behind tears.

With that, Taylor Townsend, a mom, a fighter, and now the World No. 1 in doubles, did more than silence critics. She carved her own anthem into tennis history, proving that strength can cry, dreams can fight, and motherhood can rule the world.

Taylor Townsend’s struggles make her victory even sweeter

Back in 2012, a 16-year-old Taylor Townsend stood as the No. 1 junior girl in the world. That season, she captured both the Australian Open junior singles and doubles titles, becoming the first American girl to achieve the feat since Lindsay Davenport at the 1992 U.S. Open. Later that summer, she added the Wimbledon girls’ doubles crown to her growing list of triumphs, all this after, just a year earlier, she had defeated an opponent twice her age to reach the second round of US Open qualifying.

Yet despite her accomplishments, the USTA made a stunning decision. They refused to fund her travel to crucial tournaments such as the Girls’ 18s Nationals and the U.S. Open unless she lost weight. At the time, Patrick McEnroe, then general manager of USTA player development, stated, “Our concern is her long-term health, number one, and her long-term development as a player. We have one goal in mind: For her to be playing in [Arthur Ashe Stadium] in the main draw and competing for major titles when it’s time. That’s how we make every decision, based on that.”

Left without support, Townsend’s mother, Sheila, stepped in and paid for her daughter’s journey to New York. While legends like Lindsay Davenport voiced their outrage, the moment remained one of the darkest shadows over Townsend’s early career.

Now, years later, the same player once doubted has stormed into the Citi Open doubles final alongside Zhang Shuai after Emma Raducanu and Elena Rybakina retired mid-match, and now wins the final. However, with that win in SF, she rose to World No. 1 in the WTA doubles.

And as the US Open looms, the question echoes: can Taylor Townsend, battle-hardened and unshaken, turn her legacy into something even greater?