Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're kicking Skyguide to the curb and hitting the clurb with the Chicago Sky's new mascot, Skye the Lioness. On today's show, we'll be chatting with tennis player Taylor Townsend about being a Wimbledon doubles champ, how she adjusts when shit goes sideways, and all the good things that can come from sliding into someone's dms. Plus a profound message on retirement and an example we should all follow. It's all coming up
right after this. Welcome back, my little slices. Here's what you need to know today. It was such a busy weekend. We've got some good stuff that didn't fit in yesterday's show to get to. First, we finished recording yesterday's at before the epic conclusion to the Seattle Rain game against the North Carolina Courage. So let's take a minute to highlight how that one played out, because the fairytale story
basically wrote itself. So first, a beautiful ceremony for Megan Rappino, the first player in Rain history to have her jersey retired. There was an awesome video with messages from people like Michelle Akers, Ali Krieger, at e Ved Maclamore, Colin Kaepernick, Jewel Lloyd, and Rapino in her speech said in part about looking up at her number fifteen in the rafters, quote, I look at that number, and I'll be thinking about
every one of you. Every Pride flag, every trans Writes flag, every Black Lives Matter flag, every Equal Pay flag, every Portland flag. End quote. Perfect perfect, It's perfectly Pino. Then the game happened, and Seattle beat the Courage one nil on a goal and stoppage time couldn't have ended more perfectly.
So.
Teenager Emory Adamas got her head on a cross sending it toward goal, where it bounced off the post and off Courage goalkeeper Casey Murphy. It technically counts as an old goal, but Adamas earned her sally, and of course she busted out the iconic Rapino arms out pose and looked up at Pino in the stands cheering her on. So cool, But it wasn't just the pose that made
it super special. So earlier in the day, the eighteen year old a Damas posted a photo to her Instagram that she took with Raupino a few years ago when she was just a kid. She wasn't even up to Pino shoulder. Fast forward, she's in the league, she's on Pinos old team, she's scoring on her jersey retirement night Chef's kiss, and after the game, Adamas said, quote, I think I'm gonna throw up. I'm so excited. I have
so much adrenaline right now. When everyone was running up to me after the game, I thought that I'm just going to wake up and be in my bed, like I actually thought I was dreaming. End quote. Also cool, longtime Rain coach Laura Harvey got her one hundredth NWSL win with that game too. What a night In NWSL news. If you listen to our conversation with Players Association President Tory Huster and executive director Megan Burke on Monday show, you'll recall that Burke said that the new CBA will
lead to a quote free agent frenzy well. On Monday, the NWSLPA released the initial list of free agents who will be eligible to renegotiate new contracts starting on September first, and the list includes eighty eight names, but the Players Association indicated that even more names will be added ahead of September first, likely because everyone still needs a little time to read through the content language and confirm eligibility
based on the new CBA changes. Also on Monday, some trade news World Cup champ Abby Dalkemper is headed to BAYFC via a trade with the San Diego Wave, with the Wave receiving fifty thousand dollars in allocation money. According to ESPN's Jeff cassoof Dalkemper requested the trade so the
Waves tough times continue. The team also dropped their first regular season game under new interim head coach Landon Donovan to Softball Athletes Unlimited, Softball crowned it's twenty twenty four champion on Sunday night, with Amanda Lorenz taking home the an individual season title. Lorenz led the five week tournament since week three. In her fifty one at bats, she
recorded nineteen hits, including three home runs. After winning the crown, Lorenz, who graduated from Florida in twenty nineteen and is a two time world medalist with USA Softball, credited Athletes Unlimited with helping so many players continue to compete. Quote. I don't really have the words right now, just thankful for
this league and to keep playing this game. So let's take a minute to talk about what it means to be a pro softball player, because while Athletes Unlimited has been a great option for these athletes, and there's a couple other pro options too, it's still so tough to make ends meet in this sport, especially because of its up and down Olympic status and because the professional leagues
are relatively young. There's a whole bunch of players that we retired at the conclusion of this AU season that really didn't get as much do as they should have, including Olympic silver medallist Haley mclenny, ten year pro Sam Fisher, and Tokyo Olympian Seshell Palacios. On Sunday, an honor of the season's end and of those players saying goodbye, fantastic AU reporter Savannah Collins re shared a powerful video from
twenty twenty. It was mclenny reciting a poem written by AU pro Janie Reid about what it means to retire from the game. Janie was too shy to read it that day, so McClenny read it for her. Take a listen.
Women at exit the game differently, some of the greatest, most talented players snuck out quietly, the same amount of practices games flies with their parents on the way home in the car, but a different level of recognition for the blood, sweat and battle scars. We don't get the pension plan for playing tenures in the show. We just slowly assimilate into a job working.
With people who don't even know.
But it's truly changing now, and it started with this group. The last six weeks are incredible stories played.
On a loop.
People might get it now, and people might know that the best in the world deserve to be treated like pros. That we're not just athletes who play on dirt, but difference makers, world changers, strong women willing to put in the work. So thank you for the hours, days, months and years of dedication. Your career deserves to be celebrated and showered with appreciation.
It hits a little different hear in it now with mclenny herself being the one hanging it up, but the message is so true across so many sports. The same time effort, love, grit, pain and work as male pro athletes, but in most cases even more sacrifice with less fame and less monetary gain. Also, I personally want to give a shout out to Sam Fisher because she's one of my favorites. She's a woman whose softball prowess is second
only to her incredible sense of humor. She dances at the plate, she screams hot dogs, and she just wants someone to match her freaking shin bruises from fouling it off her leg. I made her promise not to go into hiding post retirement because we need her voice, we need her perspective, we need her jokes. So go give her a follow I promise you won't regret it. At Sam Fisher fifty two on Insta. That's Fisher with a
C fisc hr. Congrat Sam. All right, it's time for another edition of Yes and Yes, and the US Open is in full swing. And before the tournament began, we were lucky enough to be joined by Taylor Townsend, who's competing in both singles and doubles. Growing up, Townsend idolized Serena and Venus Williams, even telling her uncle that she was going to grow up to be better than them. She's one of many black tennis players who have cited
that William's sisters as role models, and rightfully so. But we got to acknowledge another star that changed the game many years earlier, and it's one who helped inspire Venus and Serena too. We're talking about Althea Gibson. Born in nineteen twenty seven, Gibson grew up in Harlem, where she was introduced to tennis at the Cosmopolitan Club, a black tennis club, and quickly began beaten all the club's members.
According to a twenty twenty two New York Times story that we'll link to in the show notes, club members helped her raise money so she could attend tournaments sponsored by the American Tennis Association, a league for black players, but for years, the most prestigious competitions remained out of
reach for Althea Gibson. While US Tennis rules technically prohibited racial discrimination, a bunch of the qualifying events for the US National Championships, the event now known as the US Open, were held at white only country clubs, thus rendering the
so called anti discrimination rules pretty moot. Following intense lobbying from fellow players and ATA officials, Gibson finally broke tennis's color barrier in nineteen fifty by competing at the US Open and in nineteen five fifty seven, she became the first Black American to win the tournament. In total, she won eleven Grand Slam titles during her career, and then when she retired from tennis, she became the first African
American woman to join the LPGA Tour. At one point, she even toured with the Harlem Globetrotters and played exhibition matches. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in nineteen seventy one and even later served as Commissioner
of Athletics for the State of New Jersey. In nineteen ninety nine, Serena Williams faxed Gibson a list of questions relating to a school project she was working on, and just months later, Serena won the US Open, becoming just the second black woman to win the tournament, following in al Thea Gibson's footsteps, So yes, Serena and Venus and Althea Gibson, which brings us full circle right back to
Taylor Townsend, who stands on all of their shoulders. She joined a couple days ago and advanced of the US Open, which started on Monday. She won her opening round singles match and also has doubles coming up beginning on Wednesday. You'll hear from her next joining us now. She's a professional tennis player who's been ranked as high as number forty six in singles and number five in doubles. She won her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon this year
with partner Katerina Siniakova. She's a Chicago native stand up, she's a mom, and she just played doubles with actor Boris Kojo in Stars of the Open on Wednesday night. If you don't know who that is, go ahead and google him. You're welcome, ladies and gents. Let's start with the important stuff. Taylor Townsend, what great are we giving Boris as a tennis player?
I give him like a beat plus plus, Like I was impressed.
That's pretty good.
It good serve he made his sers. You know, I just need to get the defibrillator out after the long points.
But that was time I thought you were gonna say from looking at him, because I'll tell you he came into the restaurant I worked in once when I was like twenty five, and I about dropped all the silverwear and couldn't speak. So I'm impressed, Yeah, there.
Are a lot of women that were like, hey, son, gives him my number, and I told him that. I was like, I have a lot of females that are requesting me to give them their content information.
So good. Let's talk about Wimbledon, because you came up just short in two Grand Slam finals before coming out on top this year. What was the difference and how did it feel to raise that trophy?
Oh my gosh, it was spectacular. You know. I went into that like knowing I'm like, this is mine, Like I'm not going to be denied again, you know, like, and I just felt like it was different. But I was a different person, you know, getting basically having one Grand Slam final per year since coming back from my son US Open twenty two, French Open twenty three, you know, getting so close, but you know I wasn't who I
am now, and I feel like I was. You know, all of those experiences helped me to be able to manage that moment, but then also like to be able to receive everything that comes along with being a Grand Slam champion. You know, that's not really a lot of things that are talked about. You know, you play and you know you do the best that you can in hopes that you get to this place, but like it's a lot that comes with it, and you know, maybe I wasn't ready to handle those things at that time.
So you know, now I am, which is which is spectacular.
Yeah, it's wild. Do you like pick up the biggest responsibility you've ever had and suddenly it's like, maybe tennis isn't that big of a deal after all. Maybe I'll just go out there and play. Because all three of your Grand Slam final appearances have come after the birth of your son, Aidan Aubrey in twenty twenty one, I'm wondering, like, maybe that boy gave you some superpowers because you're just like, oh, tennis, tennis is tennis, I got other things.
Definitely have given me superpowers. I keep saying that. I was like, I have superpowers, Oh, and I believe it. But yeah, I mean, just overall, just perspective I think has been the game changer for me, and just understanding and knowing that, like there's something bigger than just the sport. And you know, tennis, a lot of people play, start playing when they're three four years old, and you know you're in it and when you want to be a professional, and people know that as such a young age, like
everything is tailored to that. So you really grow up in this life and you miss a lot of experiences, and so sometimes it's hard to differentiate between real life quote unquote and you know, your profession, because this is your life. It consumes so much of our time, our energy, our efforts. I mean, I spend more time with my team than I do with my family and my son, you know, so like I've seen my team more than
I've seen my child this year. So like it really consumes just about every part of, you know, our being. So being able to step away from eight for eighteen months and just kind of gain that perspective that just it did wonders for me because I just realized, like, yeah, it doesn't like winning and losing, Like isn't that big
of a deal. Of course I'm a competitor. Yeah, yeah, I hate to lose, But overall, I understand that there's a bigger you know, a bigger picture, which is I feel like that's just priceless, honestly.
Yeah. You mentioned in an interview at Wimbledon that you partner up with Katerina via DMS. She slid into your DMS. Also, your management team slid into your DMS. So I'm wondering, it's been a few months since Wimbledon, have we had any more meaningful life changing DM hookups?
I have. I'm not going to give you guys that tea, but I have. But it's like, I feel like I've owed this because like it's been so many that have been so bad. So I feel like she's had to eventually intern Oh this sounds spicy.
I can't believe you're not telling us.
No, I keep that stuff tight to the chest earth.
All right, Well, at least we know what to go digging for. Now, we know there's something there to go digging for.
No, just now that like the like the scales half the balance, Yes, okay, when it's like this eventually, okay, so it start good.
That's good news for everyone out there that hasn't been getting the good dms. What was the toughest part about coming back to the game after pregnancy after your son's rival.
The toughest part was probably like the psychological, like management, and because there were so many changes that were occurring at like once, so you know, like new mom, like mom guilt of like when I started coming back and like training and everything, like having to really like be selfish. And you know, when you become a parent, like everything is opposite of that, you know, especially a mother where I'm like I'm nursing and you know, all this stuff
is like everything is about this baby. And so like getting to the place where I'm like, Okay, this is my time, you know, Like so becoming selfish in terms of like my time, the changes that of like the person that I made and like the person that I had to become in order to be in this place sitting here talking to you. Like I said to my coach, I was like, hey, I'm going to be better than I was when I left. But I had no idea
what that meant. And like all the and of course I knew that it was going to be hard work, but I didn't really understand the depth of like who I was going to have to become in order to be in this position, because I was asking something of myself that I had never done before. So I was like it was uncharted territory. But like it's been so fun and it's been so difficult, but worth it.
Yeah, the tennis world, whether that's the media or the USTA or even the fan base is not always known for being sensitive, for asking the right questions, for being understanding of people's lives, and you personally have had issues with some of those entities in the past. How has it been for you in the last couple of years. Have you felt like you've also had to deal with that bs.
No, And that was one of the things that like I really put behind me. It was a learning lesson and you know, I feel like I handled it the best way that I could at fifteen years old. Yeah, but ultimately, like the blessing is again we talked about like the things turning around, like being in a position where you know, I wasn't supported and now I'm like wildly supported. I have such a great village of people
around me that are like high quality people. So it's just like how that's turned around in terms of just like feeling for so many years that I'm out here by myself having to survive to now being in a position where I have such great people around me on so many levels, you know, management, coaching, personal, you know everything like family, where I'm just so supported and so loved and so it's just like that stuff is so insignificant to me when I look at my life now,
But I also will never disregard it because the lesson was so valuable. Yeah, that's so cool and it was difficult, but you know it's so worth it.
I'm glad you're so supported now. That's so good to hear. You said recently that your doubles ranking won't be higher than you're sing for long.
Tell us why, Yeah, because I know what I can do. I know who I am, I know the kind of player that I am, and you know I know what I'm doing on and off the court, So it's just a matter of time. And I think that you know, I'm at my the newest career high forty six. I have again uncharted territory, has never been here before. But I know that I'm a top five top like the top five player easily. So you know, my highest doubles dranking is five. So that's my role. Let's get there
and then see what happened. But I know, I know that that's a that's a that's very attainable, and everyone in my can't knows that as well. So we're just continuing to keep our head gap, putting in the work pounding the stone and we know that eventually it.
Okay, you've had different partners for doubles, so you've had to practice chemistry and style and everything else. Is it tougher to focus on singles when you're dedicating time and energy to both.
No, because I've I've always played any tournament that I've played in, I've always played singles. So that's why I was like, I hope that I'm yeah, working to change that where it's just like, oh, you have to be one or the other. Like tennis is, it's very linear. So sometimes they I mean not sometimes all the time. They try to put you in a box, right, and so it's like this box, Okay, you're a doubles player. Oh,
you're really good at double see probably focusing more on doubles. No, every single tournament that I go to, I'm playing singles and doubles. Singles first, doubles come after that, and it's just, you know, it just happens that at this time and over the last couple of years, I've had success in doubles, but that doesn't overshadow like that. I'm still playing singles,
you know. Yeah, and I've accomplished two times over in the course of this year that I've accomplished like career high rankings, Like I broke it to the top fifty and now I've broken like inside out forty six. Like, so I'm hitting my markers in singles. You know, it's just happening. Not at the same pace as doubles. Yeah, but you know, there's never a tie where I feel conflicted because I know my priority.
It gives you confidence. I'm sure when you're standing in the winner circle, you're holding that trophy, you're on top of the tennis world. Even if it is doubles you go back to singles with I would imagine a little bit of extra confidence and like feeling yourself.
A little bit totally and like I I again, I hope that kind of an example of like changing that thought process. It's like a match is a match, Like that's how I grew up. Imagine matt is a match ac court to court, ball's ball. As long as it crosses over than that, you can do what you like, you can you can do your stuff on your you know.
So it's like again just trying to change that linear perspective of like, oh, like doubles is this, singles is this, you can't do both, like no, And at the end of the day, like I said this, I was like, I don't care if it's a doubles Grand Slam, it's a Grand Slam, it's Wimbledon.
Yeah, like there's one Wimbledon.
There's really nothing that anybody can tell to try and like to undermine my accomplishment because I know what that is. Like, so's it's literally, I don't care if it's singles, doubles, mixed doubles, wheelchair anything like, it's the accomplishment is the accomplishment because the work that you put in in order
to achieve that is monumental. And at the end of the day, you had to execute from start to finish, from the beginning of the tournament to the end, which is the same thing that everybody in the event has to do. But you're the last one or last two standings. So that says something. That's how I look at it.
Yeah, So US opens coming up. Is there extra special focus or does it mean something extra special to do well at this tournament here in the States? The biggest thing that we've got.
Here, Yeah, I mean, and I always have such a great time like here in New York. Like the energy the city just brings something out on me that I just, you know, like really enjoy. But of course I would like to go far. This is that you know, I don't come and I never play a turn in it to just show up. Whenever I come, I come to do damage. So like that's my pop bustle. So it's like, you know, I'm not coming here just to participate and have a good time, you know, like, no, we're going
to work here to wait. So I definitely have that, But you know, I'm not putting expectations or anything. I'm going and just staying locked in on my process and what I have to do to play my best tennis every single time that I on the court.
Okay, last question. We're watching you at the US Open to help us watch what you're doing and have even more insight into how you're playing. Is there anything you're focusing on or thinking about? Are you thinking my forehand's feeling really good right now, I'm really going to try and kill them with my four end and put the ball away. Is it my second serve needs to have a little more oomph on it when I get to it.
Is it my volley game like, what is it that right now you're heading and either feeling super confident about or really focusing on.
I think that that changes depending on the day. Like it's that's it's not that like straightforward, because you can be having a great day, you have a great warm up, and then shit goes left, like when you get on the court. Yeah, So it's like you just have to be able to flow and be able to go through the ebbs and flows of like what's happening on the court and to be able to know that, like I could be hitting beforehand great in the first set and then go off from the second. How do you adjust?
And so for me, it's like the power of being able to adjust and the power of being able to like stay fluid from start to finish in the match. And I know that I'm doing yeah and being fully locked in on like the now, and I know when I'm doing that. So you know, I can't say like, yeah, look at this or that, because it changes depending on the day, the conditions, the person on the other side. Tactically,
what are you trying to do? So you know, that's kind of a tough question to answer because I'm just like, it's not that like straightforward, but you know, ultimately, if you see me just locked in and I'm sure that when I am it's a look in my eyes that I know is there, then you'll know.
I love that. We'll be looking for it. Thanks so much to Taylor for joining us. Continued good luck in the US open. Also make sure you check out Taylor on season two of the FUSE TV show Like a Girl. She talks through some hard hitting subjects like body image and pregnancy. Like a Girl is hosted by f S one's Joy Taylor and mj Acosta Ruiz of the NFL Network. In ESPN Deportes, Townsend's episode premierees Wednesday, September eighteenth at nine pm Eastern. We'll link to the show in our
show notes. We got to take another break. When we come back, a good game play of the day the world needs you to internalize. Stay tuned, Welcome back, slices. We love that you're listening, but we want you to get in the game every day too, So here's our good game play of the day. I know we've already talked about Megan or Pino's jersey retirement a couple times in the last two days, but I'm not quite done yet, because Rapino is one of my favorite athletes and people
of all time. Not only has she given me so much joy as a spectator watching her compete, She's a woman who's teaching me how to live. She gives me permission to think bigger, be bigger, ask for more, and reject limitations. Because of Pino, I have, on many occasions allowed myself to be bolder, braver, and less concerned with being likable or palatable, and more concerned with being respected,
effective and inspiring for girls and women who need strong examples. Once, a few years ago, on a podcast, she said she chooses to live in the world she wants to see and believes should already exist, and she just hopes people catch up. I've been trying to live with that mentality ever since. In honor of pino special night, the media company Together put out a video. In the beginning, few lines really stood out to me. Dear Meghan, Dear.
Meg, Dear Megan, Dear Megan, Dear Megan, Megan, Dear.
Meg, Megan. We just want to say thank you.
From dedicated fans and the communities you've impacted.
You've touched all of us with not only your plan that failed.
But the story you have written off of it.
We have a unique opportunity in football to use this beautiful game to actually change the world for better.
Thank you for never just kicking a soccer ball, but also kicking down barriers and speaking out against prejudices that have held us back.
I think if being a woman has taught me anything in this world is to make it expansive. Don't ever leave anybody behind. We never want to leave anyone behind.
So the play of the day is to consider if you're leaving anyone behind when you're in a meeting, at a political rally, in a classroom, on a board, or even just at the family dinner table. Are you looking around and speaking up for the people who aren't in the room. Are you fighting for women's rights but not including women of color, trans women, queer women, women with disabilities, non binary folks, or anyone in any marginalized community. My favorite part of being a woman is that at our best,
we fight for ourselves and for others. Raupino is a shining example of that, so let's follow her lead. We always love to hear from you. Hit us up on email. Good game at wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us a voicemail at eight seven two two four fifty seventy and don't forget to subscribe, rate and review.
You know what was coming.
It's easy watch getting rid of the Chicago Sky mascot sky Guy, rating a billion t out of five stars review. My prayers have been answered, Sky Guys out man. I would have liked to be in the room for whatever hellish brainstorm came up with. Sky Guy. Just like what it rhymes. And it's cool to have a guy be the mascot for a women's pro team. But not like a guy animal or a guy creature, or like a meaningful important guy. Just a guy with a jay lenochin
a paratrooper suit and a big ass belt buckle. Cool. Sky the Lioness seems promising. Sky the Lioness was built by the costume designer who made Ellie the Elephant, who's the mascot god, So we're cooking with gas here, she lashes, she's got braids. Her name is spelled Sky with an E, not to be confused with the team name Sky, which definitely won't be confusing when you're just saying it out loud. But we could deal with that later. Listen, all I need to know is that this lion can pop in lock.
She better be able to drop it, shake it and percolate it, or this whole rebrand was for nothing. The very least though, we sent Skyguy packing and that's a win. Now it's your turn, rate and review. Thanks for listening. See you tomorrow. Good game tailor good game Pinok you Sky Guy, not the guy in the suit. It's not your fault, it's not your bad. You're doing your best. Everybody else associated with Scotty Guy truly for you. Good Game with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports production
in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are Alex Azzi and Misha Jones. Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Jenny Kaplan, Emily Rutter, Bretney Martinez, and Grace Lynch. Production assistants from Lucy Jones and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain