A seismic shift rocked Taylor Townsend‘s world in 2020: pregnancy. The woman who never envisioned motherhood found her path irrevocably altered. In 2021, Adyn arrived, unlocking life lessons that propelled her career to unforeseen heights. Before her son, the top 60 in doubles eluded her. Post-comeback in 2022, a meteoric rise culminated in two Grand Slam victories: Wimbledon 2024 and the Australian Open this year. “Being a working mom, it’s not easy, but I try and make it worthwhile and always tell him I’m leaving for a reason,” she revealed in January. However, the demanding tour and time away from home remain a challenge.
On April 9, she shared a heartfelt post on her Instagram story about the challenges of being a mom to a child under five. With Adyn just four years old, she deeply resonated with it, captioning, “I feel this in my soul. I cry many nights when I’m away from AJ but I have to sacrifice now, I just pray it’s worthwhile”
Taylor kicked off the year with a bang by winning the Australian Open title alongside Katerina Siniakova. However, they faced setbacks with early exits in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar. A win at the Dubai Tennis Championships marked a significant turnaround. Despite reaching the semis at the Sunshine Double without a title, she got to head home to Adyn.
This proved beneficial as she made it back in time for Adyn’s birthday before Miami and spent quality time with him before jetting off for the clay season. Just yesterday, April 8, she shared a story of her son dancing and cuddling, captioning, “Loving time”
Since becoming a mom in 2021, Taylor has been refreshingly open about the rollercoaster ride – the incredible highs of two Grand Slams in 2024 and 2025 and a career-high World No. 2 ranking in doubles. That’s seriously impressive! She joins the ranks of other amazing “tennis moms” who’ve conquered the sport after starting a family.
Take Kim Clijsters, for instance, who made a stunning comeback to win the 2009 US Open final against Caroline Wozniacki, becoming the first mother to snag a Grand Slam singles title since 1980! And Serena Williams? After giving birth to her daughter, she reached the finals of Wimbledon in 2018 and 2019, and the US Open in 2018 and 2019, showcasing incredible resilience.
On the other hand, the downs include less time at home, but the ups are the valuable lessons she’s learned from motherhood.
Taylor gets candid on how she’s grown as a tennis mom
“Being a parent makes you want to pull your hair out!” Taylor Townsend quipped back in 2023, a sentiment many can surely relate to. But the honest 28-year-old, who once never pictured motherhood, now embraces it wholeheartedly. Speaking with Essence magazine, she candidly discussed the whirlwind of tennis, relentless travel, and the constant juggling act of it all.
She reflected on the balance, saying, “It’s more so, like, learning and understanding when to push…you want to be in control but you’re not in control, so you can control what you can, and what you can’t you got to let go.” Though she once never wanted kids, she’s now grateful for the joy her son Adyn brings.
As the years passed, the challenge got tougher, but so did she. While she was immersed in the Middle Eastern swing of the tennis tour in February, Townsend had been away from Adyn for six weeks. While it’s not ideal, she uses this time for self-reflection.
Speaking to Essence earlier this year, she shared, “I’m doing okay. I’m doing well…but it’s really strange because I won a Grand Slam, and then one day later, I’m in a different country, and I get my a– kicked…But I’m really enjoying the time that I have to myself.” Her honesty about juggling wins and losses with personal growth is inspiring.
Now heading into the clay season, Townsend is ready for new challenges. Will she conquer this new surface with renewed energy? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
The post “I Cry Many Nights”: Taylor Townsend Opens Up About the Heartbreaking Sacrifice of Being Away From Her Son Adyn appeared first on EssentiallySports.