After Taylor Townsend and her doubles partner, Kateřina Siniaková, knocked Venus Williams out of the women’s doubles draw on Tuesday night, the American star credited Williams for getting her into the sport in the first place.
The 29-year-old told ESPN on the court at Louis Armstrong Stadium after her win over Williams and her doubles partner, Leylah Fernandez, that she had grown up watching the seven-time Grand Slam champion.
“The earliest memories [of Williams] obviously watching on TV, especially here at the U.S. Open. I remember I loved her back out, Reebok dress, that’s what drew me to tennis,” Townsend said. “It was the cute outfits, it wasn’t the tennis, it was the cute outfits. Growing up watching Venus and Serena had always been, for me and my sister, it was an inspiration and we really wanted to be like them when we grew up.
“It’s an honor to be able to share the court with her today.”
Townsend and Siniaková, the top-ranked team, made relatively quick work of Williams and Fernandez during their quarterfinals match, taking down the tennis legend and her 22-year-old partner, 6-1, 6-2.
Both Townsend and Siniaková joined the New York crowd in giving Williams a loud ovation after the match, pausing and turning toward Williams after shaking hands with the chair ump to applaud her before she walked off the court.
The loss in the doubles tournament marked the end of Williams’ 25th career U.S. Open, with her first coming back in 1997 when she was 17 years old.
The 45-year-old Williams’ impact on tennis has stretched beyond just the court, with her outfits blending sports and fashion.
“For me, it’s just about what you wear is just a reflection of who you are and being able to express myself on the court,” Williams said.
While Williams has impacted pop culture over the years, sometimes, pop culture has been slow to reach the tennis icon.
Williams told reporters Tuesday that she wasn’t allowed to watch “The Fresh Prince” until she was 20 because her “dad only let us watch educational programs growing up.”
Fittingly enough, Will Smith, who starred in the hit TV show for six seasons in the 1990s, played Williams’ father in the 2021 movie “King Richard,” which chronicled Venus and Serena Williams’ rise after coaching by their father.
“Will Smith is a legend. The fact that he did such an honor to play my dad, and he took it — you can’t understand how seriously he took it,” Williams said. “He really put his whole life into it, and he got rewarded for it, too. In turn, we all got rewarded for it. I have so much respect for him.”