Taylor Townsend arrived in Rome carrying a trophy but almost no time to breathe.
Only days earlier, the American had lifted the Madrid doubles title alongside Katerina Siniakova, further cementing one of the most effective partnerships on the WTA Tour. Rome, however, demanded an immediate switch in mindset. Instead of competing deep into another doubles draw straight away, Townsend had to grind through singles qualifying just to reach the main event.
The contrast, she admits, is not only physical.
It is mental.
Because for all the success Townsend continues to enjoy in doubles, singles still presents a completely different puzzle — one she says can actually become harder precisely because she has too many options at her disposal.
“There are so many things I can do”
Townsend’s Rome campaign has unfolded with very little preparation time after Madrid disrupted her schedule and limited her practice block ahead of the tournament.
Instead, she has relied almost entirely on match rhythm.
Wins over Valeria Jiménez Kasintseva and Rebecca Šramková pushed her through qualifying before a main-draw victory against Nicole Brancaccio earned her a Round of 64 clash with Maria Bouzkova.
Through all of it, Townsend says the challenge has not been striking the ball well.
It has been simplifying the game enough to trust her instincts again.
“On the singles court, there are so many options,” Townsend told Tennis Channel. “For me I can do so many things. I’m like, ‘Ooh, what should I do today?’ That’s tricky though. It’s hard.”
The explanation says a lot about Townsend as a player.
Her game has always been built around variation, feel and improvisation — drop shots, slices, looping balls, sudden changes of pace and aggressive net play all existing naturally within the same match. In doubles, that creativity thrives inside a smaller, more structured environment.
Singles, she says, can sometimes become overwhelming because of the freedom itself.
“In doubles the decision-making is more limited because you’re playing half the court.”
There are so many things I can do — drop, chip, loop, drive. So I’ve been scratching my head because I can do it over here, and then in singles it’s so much harder.”
Bringing doubles clarity into singles
Rather than adding complexity, Townsend says the solution has been stripping things back.
The American explained she has spent recent weeks trying to carry the calmer mentality of doubles into singles matches, focusing less on endless tactical possibilities and more on clarity under pressure.
“I’ve been really working hard over these past couple of weeks to transfer the same mentality that I have in doubles into singles,” she explained. “Being calm, knowing I can do this or that, and being more clear on what I want to do and not feeling like I have to do too much.”
Then came the line that probably summarised her current philosophy best.
“Sometimes less is more. Simple gets the W’s. Simple is great.”
Rome forcing patience
Rome’s slower clay conditions have only reinforced that lesson.
Townsend admitted the qualifying matches were crucial simply to adjust to the courts and rediscover rhythm after the abrupt transition from Madrid.
“I think the two matches in qualifying really helped me to get my feet wet.”
Her early matches in Rome have demanded patience more than brilliance. Against Brancaccio especially, Townsend found herself navigating awkward rhythms filled with slices, drop shots and disrupted patterns.
“There wasn’t a ton of rhythm,” she said. “She hit a lot of drop shots, a lot of slices. So it just forced me to be patient and work the point and not go for too much.”
That restraint does not always come naturally to Townsend.
But right now, it may be exactly what is keeping her Rome run alive.
Watch the full interview on YouTube via Tennis Channel: