Taylor Townsend keeps living her Tale in Miami, moves to third round

by Daniel Perisse

Taylor Townsend is one of the many moms in the women’s professional tennis circuit. Back on the court since April 2022 after giving birth to her son, Adyn Aubrey, on March 14^th, 2021, the Chicago native has been piling up good results this season and it has been no different at the Miami Open.

This Thursday, Taylor cruised past No. 25 seed Elise Mertens from Belgium 6-2 6-2 and reached the third round, equaling her best campaign in the Magic City – like in 2017, she had to play the qualifying to get into the main draw.

“It was very exciting. Not so much the win itself, but how I was really proud of the way that I played and the way that I handled myself mentally. And throughout the situations of the rain and kind of things coming into the equation that you can’t control that can possibly break your focus or even break the momentum that you have,” she said after the match.

Taylor is also known for her victory celebrations – even though she swears she does not do it on purpose.

“It just happens like in the moment like it’s just inside and just comes out. I mean, I love the seasoning one, like sprinkles, and many others. I mean, (Ben Shelton’s) little phone thing is super swag. I love that. Um, but yeah, just one of those things that kind of just happened. So, whenever I feel compelled, just keep watching because you’ll know what’s going to happen.”

Currently ranked at No. 72 in singles, Townsend is close to reaching her career-high No. 61 in 2018. In doubles, she is World No. 11 and has won four titles since returning. She tries to play both singles and doubles in every tournament.

“It helps a lot because it allows me to continue to work on the things that I want to work on and execute I mean, you still have to play, you still have to do all the things that the game of tennis requires. I use it as a practice opportunity to work on certain things that maybe I didn’t do so well in my singles matches or I want to work on or do better,” explained Townsend, who will partner up with Brazilian Bia Haddad Maia, with who she won in Adelaide this season.

The American’s third-round opponent will be World No. 4 and 2023 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina from Kazakhstan. Last year’s Miami Open Women’s Singles finalist needed more than two hours to beat Danish Qualifier Clara Tauson 3-6 7-5 6-4.

On Grandstand, Victoria Azarenka reached the 40-win mark in Miami Open history after she defeated 22-year-old Peyton Stearns from Cincinnati, Ohio, the NCAA 2022 Singles champion defending the University of Texas, 7-5 3-6 6-4.

The three-time champion and No. 27 seed is the player with the fifth most match wins in this tournament, only behind Gabriela Sabatini (45), Steffi Graf (59), Venus Williams (67) and Serena Williams (76).

Other seeded players to advance to the third round today were No. 11 Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil, who overcame Diane Parry of France 3-6 6-1 6-4; No. 8 seed and Indian Wells runner-up Maria Sakkari of Greece, who defeated China’s Yue Yuan 6-2 6-2; Rock Island, Ill. native Madison Keys, the No.17 seed, beating Daria Shnaider 6-2 6-4; and Jelena Ostapenko, the No. 9 seed, beating German qualifier Laura Siegemund 7-6(3) 6-4.

In contrast, former World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki lost a 3-hour-and-17-minutes battle against Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina, the No. 23 seed, 5-7 7-5 6-4. Last week, the Danish reached the quarterfinals at Indian Wells.

In the men’s draw, Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime overwhelmed Australian qualifier Adam Walton 7-5 6-4 and will face the No. 4 seed Alexander Zverev in the next round. Former World No. 4 Kei Nishikori lost to Austria’s Sebastian Offner 6-3 6-4 in his first match in eight months.

Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, a semifinalist here in 2021 and former World No. 9, defeated American Emilio Nava 6-3 7-6(4) in a clash between qualifiers. His next opponent is Bradenton, Fla. native Sebastian Korda, the No. 28 seed.

It was a special night for Gael Monfils. Playing at the Stadium court for the first time in his career, the 37-year-old, former World No. 6 trashed Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic 7-6(7-5) 6-4, and booked a second-round meeting against No. 33 seed Jordan Thompson from Australia.

“I was really happy with the experience; it was a great match. I like how I played it, I’m still up for those challenges,” said Monfils, who feels his game has been “increasing” at a daily level. “I feel that I’m going more for my shots.”

As for the show he always brings to fans with his high-skilled shots, he explained: “I wish I could plan for when to do it, but it’s almost impossible because you never know the moment”.

Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman, also a former top 10, was halted by Roman Safiulin, 6-2 6-4. He still has not won a main draw match in an ATP-level tournament this season.

Gauff, Fritz, Swiatek, and Medvedev open star-studded weekend schedule

Friday’s day session in the stadium will feature South Florida native Coco Gauff, top-ranked American Taylor Fritz, and Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner, while Jessica Pegula and World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka will headline play on the Grandstand.

Gauff will lead off Friday’s session at noon against Argentine qualifier Nadia Podoroska, while Pegula’s Grandstand matchup will be against Zhu Lin of China. Sabalenka faces Spaniard Paula Badosa, who happens to be her best friend on the tour.

Seeded at No. 2, Sinner will play an all-Italian clash against qualifier Andrea Vavassori, and Fritz will challenge Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil, who also comes from the Qualifying draw.

Friday evening’s stadium schedule will see the start of Daniil Medvedev’s title defense against Marton Fucsovics of Hungary not before 8:30 pm. The opening match will feature 2022 women’s champion Iga Swiatek taking on Italy’s Camila Giorgi at 7 pm.

On court Butch Buchholz, No.5 seed Andrey Rublev makes his first appearance at this year’s Miami Open against Czech Tomas Machac. Following that match, former World No 1 and two-time Miami Open champion Andy Murray takes on Argentina’s Tomas Martín Etcheverry, who recently defeated the British in the first round of the Australian Open.

The third match at Butch Buchholz will be a clash between moms Elina Svitolina, mother of 1-year-old Skai, taking on former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka, mother of 8-month-old Shai.

Friday’s matches start at 11 am, except for the Stadium (at noon).  Download the order of play and get your grounds pass tickets here.