NEW YORK — Taylor Townsend keeps coming to the net and keeps winning, beating Sorana Cirstea 7-5, 6-2 to advance to the U.S. Open round of 16 for the first time.
Townsend, an American qualifier ranked No. 116, advanced further than she's ever gone before in a Grand Slam by doing what she does best: serve and volleying, chipping and charging, and coming forward. She came to the net 75 times, winning 47 of those points against the 106th-ranked Cirstea.
Townsend came to the net 106 times in her three-set, second-round upset of Wimbledon champion Simona Halep, the No.