THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 13, 2024

Taylor Townsend

Katarina Siniakova

Press Conference

SINIAKOVA-TOWNSEND/Dabrowski-Routliffe

7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Great match out there, great performance. Give us your thoughts on how you're feeling right now.

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: I feel great. I got 500 text messages. I didn't know that many people had my number. That's going to take a while to go through.

I mean, I feel amazing. This is my first one, my first Grand Slam title. I've been close two other times. To get over the finish line the way that we did, I think we played so well. We were just locked in, in control. We played our way. It felt good the way we did it.

I've been working really hard. It just feels really great to be able to do this. I was in the shower, I was like, damn, I really just won Wimbledon. Sorry.

You've done it before. This is your ninth one, so I don't know if it feels the same for you. For me, it's like I popped my Grand Slam champion cherry.

I feel amazing. I feel so great. I'm just happy to be able to share this moment with Katerina, all the people that have been on my team for this ride.

THE MODERATOR: Must feel nice to help someone get their first Grand Slam title?

KATARINA SINIAKOVA: Yes, definitely. But I agree with Taylor, I think it was really tough match. We played amazing. I think we stick together. That's what make team even stronger. So I'm really proud of ourselves. I'm really happy, as well. Even if it's nine, I'm every time happy. It feels every time different, every time good.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Katerina, Taylor said you're the one who messaged her to partner together. What made you decide to work with her?

KATARINA SINIAKOVA: We play a couple times against each other. I felt really tough and tricky to play against her so I was curious how it would be on the same side.

Definitely when I'm looking for a partner, I want to achieve something. I need to also look who is playing on the other side, not on my side.

So no, definitely I think Taylor is amazing player. I felt it on the other side. That's why I ask her.

Q. Taylor, Wimbledon is quite special. How special is it to win your first Grand Slam here at Wimbledon?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Yeah, I mean, it feels absolutely amazing. Getting to my first Grand Slam final in the US Open in '22, losing to this one, obviously that would have been amazing to win on home soil. But Wimbledon has such a special significance, the history behind the event, all that it means.

For me it's actually kind of crazy because winning the juniors doubles in 2012 here, then coming back 12 years later and being able to win the women's. I was thinking to myself, I am at the practice facility, now I'm in the real facility. It's so special to me.

I'm really grateful. I've been working really hard to get to this place. Like I said, I've gotten so close and haven't gotten over the finish line. I think in this moment and today, I felt prepared because I had been there before. It didn't feel new. I was just locked in on what I wanted to do and what we wanted to do as a team. That's the only thing my mind was on from the start of the match till the finish.

I felt more prepared and more ready for this moment to pounce on it and to grab it because I felt like it was ours for the taking.

Q. (No microphone.)

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: She's the secret. She has the secret sauce.

KATARINA SINIAKOVA: I hope so.

No, it doesn't really matter who is on the side. I'm just trying to play my best. I'm just really happy I can do help someone else.

But anyway, we are a team. It's still need to be both of us who is playing good or who is helping each other. I'm just really happy that I can play my best. It doesn't matter with who.

But anyway, it's still two are in the team. I'm just happy that we can enjoy it. Yeah, I'm just proud of you as well because it's still a team.

Q. What is your secret, Taylor?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Every time it's with someone else.

Q. How have you been able to get this far?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: I have realized that, like, I have a super power of adaptability. If someone asked, What is your super power? I'd be able to morph into whatever.

I'm able to figure out what makes us work well as a team. Like, I've had to sometimes change the way that I played with different players to make it a little bit more comfortable for us to be able to succeed.

I think playing with Katerina, I've been able to play the most how I play, being aggressive, coming into the net, serving and volleying, because I know she knows what to do. It allows me to be able to be more free and play the way I know I can play.

Yeah, I think honestly it's just about being able to be fluid and flexible with who's on your side. Everyone is different. Everyone has different personality types. Everyone has different things that make them tick.

That's what we kind of figure out at the beginning, whether it's the beginning of the tournament, as you work your way through, that stuff kind of gels and you start to play as a unit.

Sometimes we run out of time. I'm really fortunate and happy to be able to have that kind of super power. It's really cool. It's nice to be able to know that really whoever I step on the court with, we'll be able to play well together.

I pride myself on that honestly. I think it's pretty cool.

Q. Taylor, how is it like to play not against Katerina but with her?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: I'm so glad I don't have to see that backhand.

No, it's amazing. I really had a feeling like that we were going to play well together. When she first asked me to play, I had already agreed to play with someone else for the rest of the year. When she asked me, I just felt like I had to take this opportunity. She's so accomplished, such a great player. Again, I've played against her many times. I've wanted to strangle her on my side. I'm like, Oh, my God.

I felt like we could really play well together. I felt like our games would complement each other.

Is this our third event?

KATARINA SINIAKOVA: Yes.

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Being able to play with each other, get through it, get through some of the kinks, and now we're here.

It's really amazing, some of the shots, the way she's able to scrap and keep us in rallies. The hands, it's amazing. It's nice to be on the same side and win those points.