Americans Asia Muhammad and Taylor Townsend secured another doubles title together Saturday, beating Xinyu Jiang and Fang Hsien Wu 7-6(0), 6-3 to capture the DC crown.
The title is the third as a tandem for Muhammad and Townsend, and the second consecutive tournament win for Townsend, who arrived in DC fresh off her Wimbledon triumph just a few weeks prior.
“It's been fantastic,” Townsend said of her recent run. “One of the things that I think is tough and that people don't really talk about enough is the bounce back… You really have to turn the page and be present where you are.
“For me, I'm really happy that I was able to turn that page and play a couple of good singles matches, play some good doubles matches and ultimately win next to my friend. It really means a lot to me.”
The triumph in DC was also meaningful for Townsend given her ties to the region. Townsend moved to Washington when she was 16, spending nearly three years in the DMV as she pursued her tennis dream.
Working at the time with former Tour pro Zina Garrison, Townsend often trained in Rock Creek Park and at the Washington Tennis and Education Foundation’s southeast campus.
Long-lasting relationships were established during that time, which gave her return to DC a homecoming feel.
“I loved every moment of being here,” Townsend said. “I met my best friend here. My old trainer, my old physio came [to watch this week], my old nutritionist. My whole team of people I met, cultivated while I was living here, everyone came out to support me. It meant a lot.”
Townsend, who reached her first career WTA final in Washington in 2013 (partnering with Genie Bouchard), also returned to the WTEF last Friday to help run a clinic with the Black Girls Tennis Club.
“I was really pumped to be able to go back to those courts,” she said. “A lot of hard work. A lot of hours. Asia came up here and trained with me in DC a couple of times when I was living here. Yeah, it's like we have a lot of memories in this city. It means a lot to us to be able to win the title here.”
It also meant a lot to the WTEF, who Townsend acknowledged during the on-court trophy ceremony.
“I think it’s a validation of what makes the organization so special,” said WTEF President and CEO John Borden. “What I heard was her really commenting about how the WTEF community really embraced her when she was training here and how that helped to propel her to success, so it means a lot to hear it.”
