“It was really scary”: Taylor Townsend explains how US Open celebration turned into emergency surgery in Mexico

Sunday, 27 September 2026 at 20:30

Taylor Townsend has opened up about the frightening medical emergency that forced her to undergo surgery in Mexico shortly after her US Open triumph. The American was competing at the Guadalajara Open when severe abdominal pain left her fearing she had food poisoning, only to discover that she was suffering from appendicitis and needed immediate surgery.

Townsend had arrived in Mexico following the biggest achievement of her season, having won the US Open doubles title just days earlier alongside Katerina Siniakova. Her run in New York had been a major highlight of her 2026 campaign, but her time in Guadalajara quickly took an unexpected turn when she woke up in the early hours of the morning in severe pain.

At first, Townsend did not know what was wrong. She believed the symptoms could have been caused by something she had eaten and initially asked her team for help with what she thought was food poisoning. The situation became much more serious when the physio and doctor examined her and advised her to go to hospital.

Townsend has now described the experience in detail during an appearance on Good Morning America, explaining how frightening it was to learn that she needed emergency surgery while she was alone and far from home.

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Townsend thought she had food poisoning

Townsend explained that the pain began in the middle of the night, hours before she was scheduled to play. What initially seemed like a stomach problem quickly became something much more serious when the medical staff examined her.

“Yeah, it was really scary. I was supposed to be playing at 5 o’clock last Wednesday, and I woke up at around 2:30 in the morning feeling like I was being stabbed in my stomach," Townsend told Good Morning America. "I didn’t know what was happening, and I thought I had food poisoning or something,

“I asked the physio to come to my room at about 7:30, and I said, ‘Guys, I need something for food poisoning. I have a match at 5, please help me.’ I was feeling so terrible."

The physio’s examination raised immediate concerns, prompting a doctor to assess Townsend before she was sent to hospital for further tests. The hospital examination ultimately confirmed that the problem was appendicitis.

“They did the ultrasound, and it came back that I had appendicitis and that my appendix was inflamed. They said, ‘We have to do emergency surgery. We need to do the surgery.’”

US Open doubles champion Taylor Townsend says an emergency appendectomy was her reason for pulling out of the GDL Open in Mexico just days after her Grand Slam win. pic.twitter.com/TX3wcMUmKH
— Good Morning America (@GMA) September 26, 2026

Townsend was alone and thinking about her son

The situation was particularly difficult because Townsend was in Mexico, away from home and without her family around her. She admitted that the prospect of undergoing emergency surgery in a foreign country was extremely frightening.

“I was there by myself. I called my team and said, ‘I don’t want to do this. Please, someone just get me home. I don’t want to do this here,’” Townsend recalled. “I was just thinking about my son and everything, and it was really, really scary.”

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The episode came just days after one of the most significant achievements of Townsend’s career at the US Open. The American had won her fourth Grand Slam title alongside Siniakova, with the pair also completing the Career Grand Slam as a partnership.

Townsend did not stop her schedule there and travelled to Guadalajara just days later for the WTA 500 event. She opened her campaign with a comeback victory over German Tatjana Maria, winning 6-7(0), 6-3, 6-2.

The former junior world No. 1, however, was unable to continue her run after suffering from appendicitis in Mexico. She was forced to withdraw ahead of the round of 16, where she had been expected to face top seed Marta Kostyuk. The Ukrainian advanced to the quarterfinals without having to play the match.

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Townsend had already shared her experience from the hospital on social media, but without initially providing details of the procedure. Her appearance on Good Morning America has now offered a much more personal account of the episode, particularly the fear of being alone in a foreign country while facing emergency surgery.

The medical emergency came at a particularly unexpected moment in Townsend’s season, just after she had reached another major milestone with Siniakova in New York. What followed in Mexico was a stark contrast, with what she initially believed was food poisoning turning into an appendicitis diagnosis and emergency surgery.

Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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