Taylor Townsend’s US Open singles run ended in the fourth round on the Arthur Ashe Stadium hard court, where world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka absorbed a series of challenges to win 6-4, 6-3 and keep her pursuit of a third consecutive title alive.
Headline: Sabalenka edges Townsend in US Open fourth round as American stays alive in doubles
SEO title: Aryna Sabalenka beats Taylor Townsend at US Open
SEO description: World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka defeated Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-3 in the US Open fourth round, while Townsend remains in the doubles draw.
The match
Townsend, 30, found plenty to encourage her despite the straight-sets defeat. She traded breaks through the first four games, fought back after falling 5-2 behind in the opening set and established a 3-1 advantage in the second.
Sabalenka’s serve repeatedly delivered under pressure, however, and the top seed recovered each time Townsend threatened to take control. Townsend and her coach later assessed the margins as remarkably small, believing a swing of roughly 10 to 12 points could have changed the contest.
“I have never felt this settled or this confident against a world No. 1,” Townsend said. “Right from the start, I knew I belonged on that court and was exactly where I should be. I still believe that.”
The American’s varied game brought her into the contest, and she even applauded Sabalenka from the opposite baseline after some of the Belarusian’s best shots.
“Against the very best, sometimes the answer is simply that they were too good,” Townsend said.
Townsend arrived for the match in a feathered jacket over a rhinestone-trimmed dress, removing the outer layer before play to unveil what she described as her competitive armour.
“Under the jacket, that was my armour,” she said. “Then it was time to fight.”
Although her singles campaign is over, Townsend remains in the doubles competition. A tournament referee told her coach that she was the only player still active in both draws at that stage of the event.
“I am proud to carry that,” Townsend said. “My tournament in New York is not finished.”
