With her son in the stands wearing a cowboy hat, Taylor Townsend’s win in Texas felt bigger than the scoreboard. “It’s so fun,” she said about traveling on tour with him. “It’s a totally different experience now that he’s older. When he was younger, there was so much more that it required — the stroller, the car seat, all of that. Now we just hop on the plane with a little booster seat and that’s it.”
What hasn’t changed is the pride she feels watching him take it all in.
“He told my manager during the match, ‘I’m gonna stay. I want to see my mom win.’ And it was over three hours. He said, ‘I don’t care if I’m tired. I want to support her.’”
Wherever Taylor goes, he is always the VIP. Most valuable fan, guaranteed.
“I’ve always had really good results when he’s with me. It’s just a different level of relaxation. I can fully turn off when I’m away from the court.”
Why Austin?
With a packed calendar and endless tournament options, Townsend made a deliberate choice to return to the heart of Texas.
“When I was doing my schedule at the end of last year, I knew I wanted to come back. I played here two years ago and really enjoyed it.”
She even chose not to defend her Dubai doubles title to build her schedule around Austin.
“I wanted to give myself match play leading into Indian Wells. I wanted to be here.”
For her, it runs deeper than tennis.
“I have family here — my cousins, my aunt and uncle, my godmother. It feels like home. That’s very rare on tour. To feel like I’m home and still compete. Even though I’m on the road, it doesn’t feel like I am.”
Townsend also credits the tournament itself.
“I really enjoy this tournament. Christo is amazing, and everyone involved does such a fantastic job. I love the city, I love the club — it’s beautiful, and as a player, you have everything you need. That’s really all you can ask for.”
But for her, it’s not just the facilities.
“What makes it special is the staff. They truly go the extra mile to make sure players are taken care of, and that’s something we really appreciate. That’s what makes it such an enjoyable experience and makes me want to come back.”
What makes a “perfect” tournament?
For Townsend, it’s less about opponents and more about environment. “Who would I play? I don’t care. I’m a competitor. Whoever’s on the other side of the net, I’m going to compete.”
Her real wishlist? Good weather, enough practice courts, no fighting for court time, and good snacks.
“That’s why I honestly don’t think the perfect tournament exists,” she said. “It’s not about everything being flawless. It’s about the people.”
For Townsend, what matters most is feeling welcomed — not feeling like an inconvenience.
“We’re coming into someone else’s space for the week. When people are willing to share the gym, share parking, adjust things a little bit so we can do our jobs — that means everything. You don’t feel like a burden. You feel like they actually want you there. It feels inclusive.”
That’s the difference.
“That’s really all I care about. And I just want people to come out and enjoy the tennis. It’s not often you get some of the best players in the world playing in your backyard.”
And the crowd in Austin has delivered. “The turnout last night was amazing. That support is what makes a tournament memorable and fun. The fans make the experience.” That, she says, is what Austin gets right.
She understands the contrast firsthand. Playing during the COVID bubble, in empty stadiums, shifted her perspective completely. “You really understand how much fan interaction changes everything. We’re entertainers at the end of the day. That’s how I see myself, and I try to carry myself that way.”
In other words, the “perfect” tournament isn’t about luxury — it’s about energy, community and people who show up.
In Austin, with family in the stands and her biggest fan in a cowboy hat, that energy feels right at home.
