American Teen Townsend Takes Home Australian Open Girls Singles and Doubles Titles
Taylor Townsend, a 15-year-old from Stockbridge, Ga., defeated 17-year-old Russian Yulia Putintseva, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to win the 2012 Australian Open Girls Singles Title. Earlier, Townsend partnered with 15-year-old Gabrielle Andrews of Pomona, Calif., to win the 2012 Australian Open Girls Doubles title.
Townsend became the first American to sweep the junior singles and doubles titles at a Grand Slam event since Lindsay Davenport, who won both girls’ titles at the 1992 U.S. Open. She is now the only American to ever sweep the junior singles and doubles titles at a Grand Slam event outside the U.S.
"If you just compete and work really hard, anything is possible," said Townsend. "You know, the family support and the support of people that are around you is key."
Townsend is the top-ranked player in the USTA Girls 18s National Standings, and trains full-time at the USTA Training Center Headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla. She becomes the second consecutive Georgia native to reach win the girls singles title at a Grand Slam event, after Grace Min of Norcross, Ga., captured the 2011 U.S. Open girls singles title.
