‘Mad About Shedding My Massive-A** Trophy’

Think about successful your first trophy, with the adrenaline pumping and the enjoyment overflowing, after which your coach takes that shiny trophy—and will get it smashed to the ground! Appears like a nightmare, proper? Effectively, for Taylor Townsend, this was a actuality.

Townsend began enjoying tennis below the steerage of Donald Younger Sr., who’s the daddy of his blended doubles companion, Donald Younger. When she participated within the event known as Little Mo, which was meant for youths, she couldn’t take her eyes off the grand-sized runner-up trophy that she noticed on the venue. The event was recognized for giving out big-sized trophies to the winners. Townsend spoke concerning the event in an interview in 2021 and the interview resurfaced at this time on X forward of her blended doubles closing match.

“In my head, I had already made it. I used to be similar to, Oh my gosh, I get a big-a** trophy — that’s it,”⁠ Townsend mentioned within the interview. She was round seven years previous when she got here second within the event. Nonetheless, her coach was not blissful in any respect. “I performed horrible and obtained second place.⁠ ⁠ However then I got here off the court docket….. and there was no excessive fives or nothing. Mr. Younger wasn’t even cross, he was simply, matter-of-fact, he checked out me and he was like, ‘You simply wasted your time. You’re so blissful to get that second-place trophy, you don’t even notice it’s best to’ve received first place,” the WTA star mentioned.

For the unversed, Donald Young Sr, and his wife Ilona Young ran a tennis center in Atlanta, Georgia, the place they educated a number of budding abilities together with Townsend. Whereas the phrases of Younger Sr. might have been sufficient to interrupt the guts of any participant, the coach added gasoline to the fireplace with a troublesome determination as nicely.  “⁠Then he asks me to offer him the trophy — and he palms it to Donald Jr., his son who’s with us.⁠ ⁠ And he tells Donald Jr. to exit to the parking zone and smash it,” Younger Jr. adopted the directions of his father and did the identical. 

Townsend additional added, “I bear in mind simply standing there, like….. mouth open. Largely mad about dropping my big-a** trophy, and about how Donald Jr. did me like that, greater than studying any lesson actually.” However rising up, Townsend realized the significance of the coach’s determination. She acknowledged that she didn’t maintain any grudge towards him. “It was about somebody believing in me, and investing in me, and pushing me to be wonderful.” However time has advanced drastically since then.

Curiously, Townsend additionally revealed that her motivation to win titles at a younger age was none apart from the one that smashed the trophy on the directions of the coach, Donald Younger Jr, now his blended doubles companion.

“He’s the rationale” – Taylor Townsend reveals particular bond with Donald Younger

From enjoying Monopoly collectively to enjoying the final tennis match of his profession, Donald Younger shared an in depth bond with Taylor Townsend from a younger age. Moreover Younger’s father coaching Townsend to be a profitable participant, Townsend was motivated by Younger Jr. as nicely.

In an interview forward of the blended doubles closing match on the US Open, Townsend mentioned, “He’s the rationale that I felt prefer it was potential as a result of I might do that. He’d come again after successful Junior Wimbledon or Junior Australian Open and I’m like, ‘Let me see your trophy, let me contact it‘.”

Effectively, now Townsend is able to win a trophy along with Donald Younger. However can they do it? Solely time will inform. However they are going to absolutely be going the additional mile with their efforts, with the house crowd backing them as nicely.