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Tennis
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US Open doubles champion and world No. 1 Taylor Townsend joins Megan to talk about growing up as a Black girl in tennis, facing public criticism about her weight as a teenager, and learning to stop letting other people define who she should be.
She opens up about struggling to believe in herself even after becoming the top-ranked junior in the world, how motherhood changed her perspective, and how Venus and Serena Williams inspired her to stay true to herself. They also discuss the challenges of being a mother on tour, dealing with hormones and birth control as a professional athlete, and finding her voice in a sport where she never quite fit the mold.
Plus, Taylor shares the story behind her unexpected friendship with Naomi Osaka, what makes her partnership with Katerina Siniakova so successful, and the emergency surgery she underwent just days after winning the US Open.
Why Are You Like This is coming to Washington, DC on November 20th during NWSL Championship Weekend! We’ll be recording a LIVE episode at the Supplyhouse with a special guest you won’t want to miss. Come watch us do the thing live, presented by Delta, official airline of Why Are You Like This, with additional support from Nike.
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Listen guide
"Taylor Townsend Opens up About Motherhood, Being Black in Tennis and Becoming Doubles World No. 1" is an episode of Why Are You Like This? with Megan Rapinoe. Runtime 1 hr 17 min. Published November 12, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.