MUBADALA CITI DC OPEN

August 3, 2024

Asia Muhammad

Taylor Townsend

Press Conference

MUHAMMAD-TOWNSEND/Jiang-Wu

7-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations to you both. Can you share your thoughts on the match and the tournament as a whole.

ASIA MUHAMMAD: Yeah, I mean, this was a pretty weird tournament. We played two matches. We got two walkovers. I think it showed in our play a little bit today.

We came out a little I don't want to say tentative, but just not feeling our best. So we had to really just figure some things out and try and stay positive, I mean, keep our energy really high.

It ended up working out for us.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Your third title together. What makes this such a formidable pairing?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: I think for us, we have played for so many years together. Asia and I are really good friends off the court. I think when we step on the court, it transfers. There's a comfortability level between us where we can kind of have conversations, be like, I'm playing terrible. Just be open and honest with each other to kind of be more vulnerable. That allows us to be free to have that communication.

Today I think that showed in the match. Like, I wasn't playing great, and Asia was playing great. She was holding us up. In the tiebreaker I was able to come through and we were able to play good tennis together.

For us, it doesn't really matter how long it's been that we haven't played together. Because we're such great friends off the court, that comfort level comes in. There is a plan. We just kind of fall into rhythm.

We've played together for so many years and so many times have won matches, lost matches. We're very comfortable with each other, in each other's game.

From the first point that we played together, we're like, We know how we play as a team. We were able to really fall back into that place and it ended up working out.

Q. Taylor, a special summer for you. We saw how emotional it was for you to win Wimbledon. What has the last month meant to you?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: It's been crazy. Giving me a headache (laughter).

It's been fantastic. One of the things that I think is tough and that people don't really talk about enough is the bounceback, having to kind of reset yourself a week and a half later to come back and play.

That's not always really easy because you want to be able to enjoy the moments that you have and stuff like that. I'm thankful that I was able to kind of spend 10 days at home, spend that time with my family and friends, really be able to kind of relish in those moments.

The hard part is getting back on page. We are switching service surfaces, switching balls, conditions are completely different than Wimbledon. You really have to turn the page and kind of, like, be present in where you are. That's the tough part.

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, ultimately win next to my friend. It really means a lot to me.

I'm going to continue this momentum - I think we both are - going into Toronto. I leave tomorrow and I got to play tomorrow. That's one of the things we don't talk about (smiling). Not a lot of time to really relish in the moment. I'm going to enjoy it today.

Q. Are you going to play together in Toronto?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: No, we're not.

ASIA MUHAMMAD: No.

Q. Another fact you referenced a few days ago, you spent a few years here in your childhood. What ages were you?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: I came here when I was... Dang, how old was I? I came here when I was 16. I left right before I turned 19.

Yeah, I loved it. I loved every moment of being here. Again, I met my best friend here. Like my old trainer, my old physio came, 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.

My cousins, who went to Howard, I haven't seen them in years, they were able to come watch me play. It was really special to be able to come here and, like, see some familiar faces. Honestly, I haven't seen some of those people in six, seven, eight years. So it's been nice.

Q. A bit of a home away from home. You said before the tournament started, you paid a visit to the WTF, as well, a place that is special for you.

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Yes. A shout out to the Black Girls Tennis Club because they did an event there, which brought me to the Washington Tennis Education Foundation.

When I saw the address, I was like, Aah, nice. They threw their event there. I am a new board member for them, which I am really excited to do some amazing things with them.

I was really pumped to be able to go back to those courts. 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.

Q. Taylor, full circle for you. Your first WTA Final was here 11 years ago.

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Oh, wow.

Q. 2013 with Genie.

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: With Genie. Wow, you're right.

Q. If you could tell that 17-year-old girl any piece of advice, what would you tell her?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Run (laughter).

Oh, my gosh. Wow, 17. Was I coming off of junior Wimbledon? No.

Q. I think so.

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: Junior Wimbledon, 2013. Yeah, so I made the finals of junior Wimbledon singles there that year.

So I would tell that 17-year-old girl to just pay attention to your circle and to listen to your gut because there are a lot of times in my adolescence where I had moments, a lot of moments, where my gut would talk to me, but I wouldn't listen to it.

You think that you're a kid, you have to listen to people around you. There is this indoctrination about if you weren't listening or if you asked questions, then you weren't buying in, you know?

ASIA MUHAMMAD: Yeah.

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: For me, I would suppress that gut feeling and those words that were really speaking to me. Since getting older and kind of creating my own situations, I've realized that my gut is always right. No matter how old or young you are, it's a guide.

So for me, I would just say listen to your gut. Whatever it's telling you, don't be afraid to go with whatever it's telling you. You're not going to miss any opportunities, you're not going to miss anything. Like, you'll be fine. So that would be the advice.

Q. What brought you here originally? Was it the tennis, your folks' work?

TAYLOR TOWNSEND: It was tennis. I actually came here directly from leaving USTA. I started working with Zina Garrison. At the time she was living here in DC. That's what brought me here. We worked together for a couple years.

Yeah, that's what ended up bringing me to DC. She was living here at the time. We were living in Hyattsville, Maryland actually. But we trained here at Rock Creek Park, then over at the WTF in Southeast once we had the indoor court situation and everything. That's what brought me here.

You guys know the tennis life, you're like a nomad. You're here, there, everywhere. Live out of a suitcase. That's what I was doing for a lot of years. That's what brought me here.

But I wouldn't change it. Again, I've met so many amazing people and had such great experiences, so I'm happy to be back.