Taylor Townsend Sweeps Australian Open Girls’ Singles and Doubles Titles

Written by: Staff on 28th January 2012

Taylor Townsend Sweeps Australian Open Girls’ Singles and Doubles Titles |

(Courtesy of the USTA)

Taylor Townsend, a 15-year-old from Stockbridge, Ga., beat Yulia Putintseva, 17, of Russia, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 late Friday (ET) to win the girls’ singles title at the Australian Open. Earlier on Thursday (ET), she had partnered with 15-year-old Gabrielle Andrews of Pomona, Calif., to win the girls’ doubles title.

Townsend becomes the first American to sweep the junior singles and doubles titles at a Grand Slam event since Lindsay Davenport, who won both girls’ titles at the 1992 US Open. She is now the only American to ever sweep the junior singles and doubles titles at a Grand Slam event outside the U.S.

“If you just compete and work really hard, anything is possible,” said Townsend. “You know, the family support and the support of people that are around you is key.”

Townsend is the top-ranked player in the USTA Girls’ 18s National Standings, and trains full-time at the USTA Training Center Headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla. She becomes the second consecutive Georgia native to reach win the girls’ singles title at a Grand Slam event, after Grace Min of Norcross, Ga., captured the 2011 US Open girls’ singles title (Min also trains full-time at the USTA Training Center Headquarters in Boca Raton).

Topics: Taylor Townsend