Taylor Townsend and Sloane Stephens gave attendees at the Atlanta Open a match to remember. The two Black female Tennis champions played against one another on July 21, with Townsend taking home the win.
The weather initially delayed the Sunday night showdown, but Townsend and Stephens opened the exhibition as a rematch of past meetings. Although Stephens had beaten Townsend twice before, Townsend finally bested the 2017 U.S. Open Champion in Atlanta with a score of 7-6, 6-3. However, Townsend’s witty comments throughout the game won the crowd.
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Townsend jokingly asked the crowd where her 31-year-old opponent would aim the ball. The low stakes equated to more fun between the players, as Stephens later brought out a ball girl for a two v. one matchup that delighted the crowd.
Townsend relished the exhibition’s more relaxed environment, as the sport typically has a “prissy” culture.
“We have an opportunity to let our personalities come out because we know it’s for entertainment, so we can really have fun,” the 28-year-old told the news outlet. “Tennis can be a very prissy sport where you must be quiet, and there’s etiquette and rules. So, to be able to break out of that is always nice and fun.”
Stephens added, “Yeah, it was great. Being able to play in a sold-out crowd
makes it incredibly special. But I think they obviously come out a little bit more because they don’t get to see as much women’s tennis so to be able to play here in front of a nice crowd was special.”While taking things easy in Georgia, the American Tennis stars are formidable players in their own rights. Alongside being a U.S. Open Champion, Stephens has won seven WTA Tour singles titles. She was once ranked #3 in the world after becoming a Wimbledon finalist in 2018. As for Townsend, the 2024 Wimbledon doubles champion continues to rise in her rankings.
Both women are part of next generation of Black women Tennis players, with skills that make even exhibition games a sight to see.