Two-time doubles Grand Slam champion Taylor Townsend achieved her best singles performance in the U.S. Open since 2019, reaching the fourth round. She was also the runner-up in this year’s women’s doubles tournament.

The tennis star told “CBS Mornings” on Monday that this U.S. Open changed her on a personal level.

“As athletes … in professional sports, you see the end result. You see the outcomes of all the hours and all the things, but I think the biggest way that it changed me was my self-worth got to be on display, the way that I’ve been working on myself and the person that I am and how I want to show up in the world,” she said.

Townsend addresses Ostapenko’s comments

Townsend also addressed a moment early in this year’s tournament after she defeated Jelena Ostapenko in the second round. At the net after their match, Ostapenko told Townsend that she had “no class” and “no education.” Ostapenko later apologized for her comments, saying English is not her first language.

“I have compassion and understanding,” Townsend said of her rival’s remarks. “I don’t think that she really understands the words that she said and what they mean to us in our culture and where we are in America.”

She added that she doesn’t tolerate disrespect, saying, “Especially when I treat you with respect and with sportsmanship and I’m honoring the game, don’t disrespect me.”

Finding her love for the game again

The 29-year-old credits her 4-year-old son A.J. as her biggest motivator on the court.

“Since having him, I’ve had something that was bigger than tennis,” she said. “Not only in the moment, but later down the road and to try to set myself up for a better life and when he came into my life, then it was something that I loved more than the game.”

Townsend has been playing since she was just 4 years old and turned pro at 15. She said having her son gave her time away from the game and allowed her to fall in love with it again.

“I didn’t realize that I needed that space,” she admitted.

After losing her singles match in the U.S. Open, Townsend said she couldn’t wait to compete again. 

“So it was like the loss really motivated me in a way, honestly, that I haven’t felt in a really, really long time,” she added.