Taylor Townsend’s US Open run ends in gutting defeat after squandering eight match points
Townsend lost 6-1, 6-7 (13), 3-6 to Barbora Krejcikova in a marathon fourth-round clash at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Taylor Townsend’s US Open run ends in gutting defeat after squandering eight match points
Townsend lost 6-1, 6-7 (13), 3-6 to Barbora Krejcikova in a marathon fourth-round clash at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Taylor Townsend’s bid for a first Grand Slam quarterfinal in singles ended Sunday evening when the 29-year-old American squandered eight match points and fell to Czech two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova, 6-1, 6-7 (13), 3-6, in a three-hour, four-minute fourth-round match at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Townsend took control early, claiming the first set 6-1 before the match turned into an extended battle in the second. A marathon second-set tiebreak pushed the contest deep into the evening, and Townsend was unable to convert multiple opportunities to close out the match. Krejcikova rallied to win the second set and maintained momentum into the deciding set, closing out the contest 3-6. Townsend covered her face with her hat as the crowd reacted to the emotional finish; she later described the loss as the toughest singles defeat of her career.
Townsend had arrived at the US Open on the back of one of the most talked-about runs of the tournament, producing spirited performances that included a win over a former Grand Slam champion earlier in the event. The attempt to push deeper into the draw represented the best chance in her singles career to reach a major quarterfinal; she said afterward that she has learned from the experience and remains convinced of her long-term potential.
“I’m exactly where I need to be, that’s it,” Townsend said after the match. “I’m playing the tennis that I need to play to be inside the top 20, top 10, to win a Grand Slam. She’s a two-time Grand Slam champion. I’ve beaten a Grand Slam champion this tournament. So I have everything that I need. It’s just about now, just keep getting the rep.”
Krejcikova, who has previously captured Grand Slam titles, will face fellow American Jessica Pegula in the tournament’s quarterfinal stage on Tuesday. The win advances Krejcikova deeper into the New York draw and halts what had been one of the more emotionally charged runs of the week for Townsend, whose aggressive style and fighting spirit drew strong support from the Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong crowds.
The match unfolded as a momentum swing after the opening set. Townsend dominated early, but the tightly contested second set and its extended tiebreak shifted the tenor of the encounter. Krejcikova’s resilience under pressure, particularly in the tiebreak, altered the match trajectory and opened the door for a comeback that Townsend could not repel in the third set.
The crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium, which had been loudly behind Townsend at many junctures of the match, witnessed a sequence of pivotal points late in the second set and into the decider. Townsend’s emotional reaction at the end — pulling her hat over her eyes and visibly moved — underscored what she called a significant learning moment in her career.
“She battled,” Krejcikova said on court following the match, acknowledging Townsend’s effort. Krejcikova’s experience in Grand Slam conditions, including prior deep runs and major titles, proved decisive in the tight moments that decided the match.
For Townsend, the loss will be processed against what she called an encouraging tournament run. The 29-year-old has repeatedly emphasized development and consistency as priorities, and following the match she framed the defeat as part of a longer process toward achieving higher rankings and, ultimately, contending for a major title.
Media and fans noted the performance as a high point in Townsend’s recent singles form; her earlier victories at Flushing Meadows this fortnight rekindled public attention on her potential in singles competition. Townsend’s postmatch remarks centered on growth and persistence rather than lament, as she pointed to the quality of tennis she produced in New York and the experience gained against top opposition.
Krejcikova’s victory sets up a high-profile contest with Pegula, one of the top-ranked Americans in the field, and keeps alive her own aspirations for a late tournament surge. For Townsend, the result is an abrupt end to a run that had captured attention for its fight and emotional resonance; her comments after the match suggested she plans to convert the experience into motivation for the remainder of the season and future Grand Slam appearances.
Tournament organizers and analysts will continue to parse the match for its turning points — notably the long tiebreak and the sequence of missed match points — but the headline outcome is clear: Townsend’s run concludes just shy of the quarterfinals, while Krejcikova advances to face Pegula in the next round. The US Open continues into its second week, with marquee matchups and ranking implications on the line as the field narrows.