Exclusive: Taylor Townsend Is All About 'Showing Up as Myself': 'You Don't Have to Be Perfect'

Taylor Townsend is hoping she's making an impact on and off the court.

"I think the way I'm changing the game is by being myself, and I love it. I'm showing up and presenting as Taylor. In professional sports, especially in tennis, it's so intimate, but you're so open to everything. It's easy to get wrapped up in what everyone else wants you to be, and I fell into that because I turned pro when I was 14 and I moved away from home at 15. It was a lot. I've had to grow up in the sport, so for me, showing up as myself and knowing that it's OK. You don't have to be perfect or you don't have to fall into the expectations of what everyone else wants you to be," the 29-year-old, who is partnering with Gillette Venus as part of a collaboration with the Women's Tennis Association, exclusively tells Morning Honey.

"Coco Gauff is doing that very gracefully, even Naomi Osaka coming back after giving birth to her daughter. We've talked and has expectations for herself, but it will happen. We all go through our own things," she continues about her fellow tennis players. "It's so easy to be caught up in that. You win and then you lose and no one cares about you — or you win and now you're losing and you fell off. You have to silence that. I just try to be present and be proud of who I am and show that to the world. Also, I want to have fun. There are good days, there are bad days, but we're out here and we're enjoying it. You can play, you can have a kid and come back, you can play singles and doubles, you don't have to be linear. I think that's something that has been readily available in the tennis world for a while."

The athlete, who been ranked as high as world No. 2 in doubles on 24 February 2025 and No. 46 in singles on 19 August 2024, by the WTA, is all about being genuine.

"I try to be a great example for others and a good person. I focus on Taylor as a person and I know that everything will fall into place," Townsend, who has one child, a son named Adyn Aubrey, who was born on March 14, 2021, says. "I want to treat people the way that I would want to be treated. So for me, I feel like having that exposure to a person that you may look up to or that you're inspired by, it makes it that much better. That's how I operate. I try and give people the real me."

"I try to not to put on a mask or mask how I'm feeling. I show the highs and the lows. You can see when I'm in the zone, and I think people really connect to that. I hope that through my actions I am inspiring and empowering people along with telling my story and voicing my shortcomings or voicing things I've overcame," she explains. "Social media gives us an opportunity for people to see into your daily life."

Townsend notes it's not easy to have a full-time job while being a mom, but she's doing the best she can.

"I just do it!" she quips. "I am such a doer. For me, it's like, 'Next task, next task, next task.' I've been good at disassociating and creating separation between tennis and my personal life because I've always kept them separate. There are times I fall short or I feel like I'm not enough, and I'm such a giver. I'll give to other people before I do it for myself but that can drain you more. Now I'm trying to shift into becoming a little more selfish."

Since the mom-of-one is all about inspiring others, it made sense for her to partner with Gillette Venus to demonstrate that whether women choose to shave, shape, trim or style, Venus products are designed with their body and hair in mind. (The brand also partnered with Alycia Parks and Peyton Stearns.)

The upgraded collection, anchored by the newly released MoistureGlide Razor, includes product updates for seamless user experience, limited edition-tennis themed razors and updated packaging.

"I'm personally very excited. It's really great to see that beauty, wellness, health brands are wanting to partner with not only the tours but us as players and get behind the storytelling," she gushes. "It's really cool because all of the athletes they have, we are still playing. We're in different stages of our career, and we've accomplished different things. It's cool to be able to follow each one of us and create new fans."

"For me personally, I love new things, so it's really great to be able to have ample opportunities to be able to have new razors and try different things," she continues. "I've never had a razor specifically for the pubic area, so now for me being able to have the Venus for Pubic Hair & Skin Razor, it's been fantastic. I've been able to add it to my routine. I call it my everything shower. I do it before I play my first match of a tournament. I've been able to add that razor into my routine because I shave my entire body, so it's been really nice. It's an added bonus for me!"

Townsend is particular about who she partners with, but she loves Venus' storytelling ability. "It's been so fun. We're able to have this campaign throughout the year and to be able to follow the highs and lows through the season and to be able to talk about it," she shares. "I'm enjoying it so far, and I'm looking forward to what's to come!"