Taylor Townsend, the American doubles specialist, recently opened up about the complex balance between motherhood and her professional tennis career. Since giving birth to her son, Adyn Aubrey, on March 14, 2021, Townsend has been candid about the emotional and physical demands of juggling her responsibilities as a mother while competing at the highest level in tennis.
Following a pause in her tennis career during pregnancy, Townsend returned to competition and has since climbed back to No. 2 in the WTA doubles rankings. Alongside Katerina Siniakova, who holds the No. 1 spot in doubles, they form one of the world’s top women’s doubles teams, celebrated for recent victories including titles in Dubai and the Australian Open earlier this year.
Emotional Struggles and Guilt in Parenthood and Professional Life
In a Newsweek interview shared on their Instagram, Townsend deeply reflected on the guilt she experienced as a mother committed to her tennis career. She described feeling torn between training demands and quality time with her son, admitting the difficulty of managing both simultaneously.
“I honestly had a lot of guilt at home, when I was with my son, because I felt like I had no time. I had to train, I had to do gym, I had to do all these things, and I have someone else watching him, but I’m here. So how come I’m here, but I still don’t feel like I’m spending time with you. So it was like – I – and then I’m home for three days, four days, and they fly by, and I’m, like, oh my God, I’m about to leave again.” —Taylor Townsend, Tennis Player
Townsend also addressed how her perspective on competition shifted after becoming a mother. The importance of wins and losses changed, with a newfound priority placed on her family life.
“I just felt like losses weren’t that bad because it’s – I have something else that’s, like, more important. That doesn’t mean that tennis is not important to me, but it’s not my life anymore.” —Taylor Townsend, Tennis Player
Growth and Mental Strength Gained Through Motherhood
Despite the emotional hurdles, Townsend feels that motherhood has bolstered her mental strength and improved her game. Although leaving her son for tournaments remains difficult, she has learned to focus on making meaningful moments with him count.
“So that was very hard for me. So then I shifted from, like, quantity of time, to, like, quality time. Even just the mental struggles that, you know, are spoken or unspoken. Obviously the bodily changes. But I feel like I’m much stronger now after having him, than, like, I was before.” —Taylor Townsend, Tennis Player
After returning from maternity leave in 2022, Townsend demonstrated her resilience by reaching the semifinals of the French Open doubles with Madison Keys and finishing as runner-up at the US Open alongside Caty McNally.
Injury in 2024 Provides Unexpected Time with Son
In March 2024, Townsend sustained an injury during the Miami Open that sidelined her temporarily from the tour. While confined to recovery, she cherished the extended time with her son but continued to struggle with leaving him behind upon resuming competition.
“ADYN, I am so proud of you. These last two months with you has been so fullfiling and incredible. Always remember… No matter how faraway I am, I am Always with you! I love you to the moon, Stars, and above Love, Mommy.” —Taylor Townsend, Tennis Player
Looking Ahead to Wimbledon Defense with Katerina Siniakova
Townsend and her partner Katerina Siniakova are preparing to defend their Wimbledon doubles title in July, having defeated Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe in the 2024 final. With their strong partnership and recent successes, they remain one of the most formidable teams on the WTA doubles circuit.
Taylor Townsend’s candid insight into the emotional and physical complexities of balancing motherhood and tennis exemplifies the resilience required to compete at an elite level while nurturing family. Her journey highlights the evolving nature of priorities for athletes who are also parents, and her preparatory focus on quality time with her son marks a meaningful shift for other players facing similar challenges.