Taylor Townsend, fresh off a 6-2, 6-3 first-round victory over Maja Chwalinska at the U.S. Open, shared her experiences exploring New York City, embracing local culture and even designing her own on-court attire.
Townsend debuted a custom-designed outfit for her match, featuring a red, white, and black ensemble with a mesh top and waist tassels. She explained that creating her own brand and bringing these designs to life in the fast-paced world of professional tennis is a challenging but rewarding endeavor. "A lot of people don’t realize that with tennis, as soon as one [tournament] is over, you should always be working on the next thing because it’s a really fast overturn," Townsend said. "So, it’s really fast if you wanna show up differently for every tournament or every swing."
Beyond her on-court fashion, Townsend is a well-known fan favorite in New York and hosted a "welcome to the U.S. Open" party. She admits to not having a strict routine when visiting the city, preferring spontaneous exploration. "No. I don’t think anyone in New York has a routine, if I’m being honest," Townsend remarked. "It’s like, ‘We’re just gonna do this or that. I like this spot, but I’m here, I’ve got to go there.’"
Her recent New York adventures included trying a chopped cheese sandwich for the first time, which she described as "delicious," and taking her inaugural Citi Bike ride. While initially apprehensive, Townsend found the experience enjoyable once she got the hang of it. She also mentioned ordering from Philippe Chow, a restaurant she particularly likes.
Townsend, who has five custom outfits planned for the duration of the U.S. Open, is scheduled to face wild card Taylah Preston in the second round. Her presence in New York extends beyond her matches, as she also attended an event called "40 Love: A Night With Taylor Townsend" on August 28, 2026.
In other U.S. Open news, Iga Swiatek continued her strong performance, winning her eighth consecutive first-round match in straight sets against Wang Xiyu. This win marked her 28th consecutive opening match win at Grand Slam events, a streak surpassed only by Serena Williams in recent history. Swiatek, the No. 8 seed, is aiming to add another U.S. Open title to her collection after reaching the quarterfinals in the past two years.
Matteo Berrettini advanced by defeating Stan Wawrinka in straight sets. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Filipina player Alexandra Eala is expected to draw a large following as she begins her first-round match against American qualifier Mary Stoiana. Eala has garnered a significant social media following, particularly after her performance at the Miami Open.
Venus Williams, after her singles elimination, is preparing for doubles play with her sister Serena later in the week. Williams stated her focus is on recovery and the upcoming doubles match, without definitive plans for her future beyond that.