Photo credit: Instagram/tay_taytownsend
Taylor Townsend’s week changed quickly after her U.S. Open success. The American tennis star withdrew from the Guadalajara Open after doctors found she needed an appendectomy in Mexico.
Townsend initially thought she had food poisoning. However, the pain in her abdomen became worse while she was staying at her hotel. She then called her physio for help.
A doctor examined Townsend and told her to go to the hospital. Tests showed that she needed surgery. Townsend later explained that she was alone and far from home when the situation unfolded. She is now recovering at home with her son.
The timing was striking. Townsend had won the U.S. Open women’s doubles title with Kateřina Siniaková only days earlier. The pair defeated Ashlyn Krueger and Robin Montgomery in the final on Sept. 11.
Their victory also completed their career Grand Slam as a team. They had already won Wimbledon in 2024, the Australian Open in 2025 and the French Open earlier this year.
Why Townsend withdrew from Guadalajara
Townsend had already played one match in Guadalajara before leaving the tournament. She defeated Tatjana Maria in the opening round on Sept. 14.
The WTA’s official tournament records show Townsend entered the Guadalajara event as a wild card. Her next scheduled match was against top seed Marta Kostyuk. Instead, Townsend withdrew while dealing with the medical issue.
She had also enjoyed a strong U.S. Open singles run. Townsend reached the fourth round before losing to Aryna Sabalenka. The WTA recorded the match as a straight sets win for Sabalenka. That made the sudden change even more notable. Townsend had gone from celebrating a major doubles title to dealing with surgery within days.
Townsend’s next chapter
Townsend has not announced a specific return date. For now, her focus is recovery.
Her recent season has already included major milestones. Townsend and Siniaková remain a leading doubles team, and the WTA listed them as qualified for the 2026 WTA Finals doubles field.
The Guadalajara setback therefore comes during one of the biggest stretches of Townsend’s career. She has not shared a firm timetable for her return to competition. Until then, her recovery will determine when she can get back on court.
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