Taylor Townsend ’s journey has been anything but easy. Once denied her dream at 16 by the USTA, “I was fat, and I was black, so they took away my dream,” she endured both racism and body shaming despite being the world’s top junior. Yet today, she’s rewriting her story, storming through both singles and doubles at this year’s US Open with fire and flair. As she pushes for a coveted last-eight spot, fellow American Jessica Pegula has stepped forward, offering her sharp insight into exactly what makes Taylor Townsend one of the most dangerous players on tour.

Under the dazzling lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, Taylor Townsend recently lit up New York with one of the biggest shocks of the US Open, dismantling No. 5 seed Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-2 in the third round. Her fearless st

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