When fate hands you an opportunity, you seize it. When you seize it, you shine, and when you shine, you shimmy! Taylor Townsend’s whirlwind week in Toronto has been a masterclass in turning adversity into triumph. After initially missing out on the main draw, she seized the opportunity to enter as a lucky loser and made the most of it! Moreover, her victory over Jelena Ostapenko further showcased her skill and grit and transformed her fortunes in the most unexpected way. After the win, the American player’s confidence was evident as she shared a special message with the world!

Following her round of 16 match, a reporter asked her, “You went from being a lucky loser to having a new career high in singles.” She responded, “I guess you just gotta get lucky every once in a while right?” after overpowering the No. 11 Ostapenko 6-2, 6-1. This not only opened the gateway to the first WTA singles quarterfinal of her career but also created a major boost in her WTA ranking. Breaking the 0-12 record in her round of 16 matches in WTA singles, the American player jumped to No. 52, (from No. 71), her career high!

We have all seen Townsend’s dominant presence in doubles. Tennis fans saw the former World No. 5 in doubles enter the Canadian Open after celebrating her victory in the Citi Open doubles final along with Asia Muhammad. Unlike doubles, the 28-year-old player has not had much success in singles this season. We saw all of the changes as she played in Toronto, capitalizing on every opportunity that she received. 

Following a round of 16 defeat in Washington, the American player appeared in Canada for a better experience on-court. Her dream crashed quite early in the game as Townsend faced a defeat in the second qualifier round against Erika Andreeva by 6-7, 4-6. But destiny had something else in store for, and showed her another path to the same destination!

After Yulia Putintseva withdrew from the tournament owing to her knee injury, Townsend came back into the picture, tagged with the term “lucky loser.” While she tried to secure a spot in the tournament once again through her aggressive style of gameplay, her opponent, Dayana Yastremska, could not continue the match, halting the game at 3-6, 1-3. 

Therefore, the former World No. 57 swiftly made a place for her in the round of 32 match. She took charge from there and showed her amazing skill against Marina Stakusic and then later on against the Latvian Ostapenko as well. Not only did she win the matches, but she also broke her own career record of her highest ranking (No. 57), which she received on April 8 this year after playing in the Charleston Open. It is a huge success for Townsend, and quite naturally, she is on cloud nine after the victory! The 28-year-old tennis player might be preparing to face Emma Navarro next, but she wants to celebrate this win by sharing a special story with her fans first!

Taylor Townsend tells behind-the-scene “story” of her success in Canada

The first time that Townsend played against Ostapenko in the 2018 US Open, she couldn’t outclass her, and their head-to-head has remained at 0-1 for almost six years now. But with her latest victory against her in Toronto, both stand at 1-1! Moreover, according to her, she did all of this without even warming up for the match properly. After the clash, she said, “This was a crazy day you guys. Let me tell you a story. We were playing not before 12:30. I got here at 12:24. I don’t know how the hell I did it.”

Further revealing the possible reason behind her win, she added, “Maybe it’s because I wasn’t thinking but yeah I just came out and just played but it was so crazy. I didn’t hit a ball, I didn’t warm up. I literally did two bike sprints and I was like alright let’s go. So I guess that worked.”

The American mom-on-tour’s road to success in Canada might have been full of challenges, dashed with a bit of luck. Either way, as she continues to soar to new heights, tennis enthusiasts eagerly anticipate her future performances.