Chances are you missed the drama during the US Open Women’s Doubles award ceremony. It is entirely understandable, if so. After all, while Women’s doubles was temporarily broadcast-worthy when Serena and Venus were still alive in the draw, general interest quickly faded once they were eliminated.
The primary story line from the match was Barbora Krejčíková and Kateřina Siniaková winning a career Slam with their victory over Caty McNally and Taylor Townsend. However, the fireworks came from the losing team during the awards ceremony. The Daily Express (UK) headline claimed that Townsend took a “brutal” dig at Patrick McEnroe. My guess is that anyone who doesn’t know the history probably completely missed the shade.
I first wrote about this topic in week 4 of “Six Weeks to a Better Level of Tennis.” That post was subsequently followed up by “Taylor Townsend Speaks Out.” Those two articles chronicled how the USTA withheld a US Open Wildcard from Townsend, the then #1 ranked junior, because she was… larger than the USTA player development program wanted her to be.
It gets worse. The USTA also denied Townsend a wildcard into the US Open qualifying and refused to pay for her travel expenses to compete in the Juniors draw. To pile on, the USTA also requested that she not play that event either. Townsend was told that to restore herself to good graces, she needed to slim down and get in better shape.
To put all this in perspective, in addition to being the #1 ranked junior, she had won the Junior Australian Open title previously that year. Whisky. Tango. Foxtrot.
The director of the USTA player development program, and the face of the decision that so profoundly impacted Townsend’s tennis career, was none other than Patrick McEnroe. Somehow, even with Taylor Townsend in the US Open doubles finals, some Einstein at either the USTA or ESPN decided that it would be a good idea to have McEnroe emcee the awards ceremony. It was a tone deaf assignment and probably a sign that people don’t appreciate tennis history.
In response to a seemingly benign question from McEnroe, Townsend’s response was deceptively neutral in print. “I’ve put in the work, I’ve earned my way to be here,” she told him, “and everyone can see that.” What is missing from that transcript is how her eyes shot daggers at the man that had caused her so much hardship and anguish.
Townsend’s response was pointed enough to warrant questions at the post-match press conference. Of the exchange, she said: “I meant what I said, I said what I meant. I wasn’t given anything. I really had to work my ass off to get here and to be able to play at this level.”
I wish nothing but future success for Taylor Townsend. Patrick McEnroe… probably shouldn’t pull any broadcast assignments for any significant Townsend matches in the future.
- US Open star defends brutal dig after officials stopped her competing as ‘punishment’, Yasmin Syed, The Daily Express (UK), September 12, 2022.
