A seismic shift shook Taylor Townsend’s life in 2020: pregnancy. Motherhood wasn’t part of her original plan, but when her son Adyn arrived in 2021, everything changed. The experience didn’t just transform her life, it elevated her game. That being said, motherhood has come with its own challenges. “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 shared after her AO doubles triumph. For the French Open, too, Townsend had to leave her son back at home. As for why she didn’t just choose to travel with him, Townsend has an answer, and it speaks volumes. 

Taylor Townsend’s 2025 French Open campaign has been a mixed bag. While her singles run ended early with a 1st-round loss to Elisabetta Cocciaretto, she has shown an incredible form in doubles. Teaming up with long-term partner Katerina Siniakova, Townsend is now into the QF and set to battle for a spot in the semis today. Later in the day, she will also compete in the mixed doubles SF alongside fellow American Evan King.

And amid her packed schedule, one question lingers: Does she miss her son, Adyn, while on tour? Like any mother, the answer is yes. But even when given the chance to bring him along, Townsend chooses not to, and she has a heartfelt, valid reason behind that tough decision.

Speaking recently at the Tennis Channel desk with Prakash Amritraj, Taylor Townsend opened up about the harsh realities of balancing motherhood with life on the professional tennis tour. Asked about not traveling with her young son, Adyn, Townsend gave a candid response. 

“This life is not easy, and a lot of people they ask me like ‘Why don’t you travel with him?’ I’m like ‘Shit this is hard for us.’ That’s right. It’s really hard for us. I mean, we jump time zones, going from hotel to hotel, new place to new place week after week, like living out of a suitcase, like no home-cooked meals, you eat out every night or Uber Eats or whatever, like this is a hard life for us,” she said.

She later went on to explain the deeper reasons behind her decision, pointing to Adyn’s need for stability in his early days. “So I’m like it’s very difficult for them, so I make the sacrifice personally,” she added. “‘m like ‘I’d rather you have your routine and be home, and like have some solid structure’ that’s important to me for his development, so it’s a hard sacrifice that I make. But you know he’s a great kid, so I feel like it’s paying off, and like I said, I just pray that he knows why I’m doing it, and you know I’m working to build a better life for us later down the road.”

Even back in February, as she competed in Dubai with Katerina Siniakova, Townsend shared a meme on IG that perfectly captured her exhaustion. Featuring a man dancing to “Raindrop Droptop,” she captioned it: “Me trying to keep my sh– together after 7 weeks on the road, 5 countries, and 5 time zones 😂😶‍🌫️.”

Now charging through the French Open doubles draw, Townsend is not only playing for titles, though, but for her son. However, what’s driving her remarkable tennis grind, though? 

Taylor Townsend leaves home with one goal

 Townsend often speaks about how “frustrating” it is to come home and have so little time with her son. “It’s been so hard. On one side, I know this is what I have to do in order for me to continue to progress and be better and get better and perform better so that I can take him on the road with me more. But on the other side, I’m just like, I just want to be here with him. Even if I can spend two more hours, three more hours, like, I just wish I had more time,” she said, revealing the painful tug-of-war every working mother knows too well nowadays.

Her journey isn’t just a personal battle, though; it’s also one that she’s shared publicly. On April 9 this year, Townsend posted a clip from The Ashley Nicole Show about the challenges of being a mom to a kid under five years of age on her IG stories, resonating deeply with the message. “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,” she wrote.

So, what fuels this 29-year-old powerhouse to keep going strong on the WTA tour? It’s surely the motivation that comes with being a mother. “Me looking at my son’s eyes and telling him, Hey, I’m leaving, but I’m going to come back with a trophy…I mean that with everything in me because my word is everything to me, and that’s what I teach him,” Townsend shared.

Now, as she battles through back-to-back doubles matches at Roland Garros, the question looms: Can Taylor Townsend win it all on clay and make history for her son?