Even in loss, Chicago's Townsend makes a splash
PARIS - Chicago teenager Taylor Townsend made quite a splash on the red clay at the French Open, and she enjoyed it so much she's ready for next year.
"The people are so supportive, and I really have had a great time playing in front of them," Townsend said Friday after a 6-2, 6-2 loss to Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain.
"I did realize that I do like big stages, I like big courts, I like playing in front of a lot of people, so that's good."
The 18-year-old Townsend reached the third round at Roland Garros, quite an accomplishment in her Grand Slam debut. She also earned some new fans with her aggressive play, including Andy Murray.
"I'm really glad the people embraced me and were cheering for me today," Townsend said.
RATHER BE READING: Roger Federer's twin daughters are old enough to watch their dad play, but they so far seem to prefer reading books in the stands.
That's quite all right with dear old dad.
"I enjoy it," Federer said of his 4-year-old daughters' attendance at matches. "It gives me some inspiration. I feel happy as a person, and if they watch 10 minutes or five sets, it doesn't change anything.
"But now they are calmer, they can remain in the stands, and that's great. If they love tennis, so much the better."
DON'T ASK: Tennis players often get asked some crazy questions, and Maria Sharapova seems to have heard enough of them.
After reaching the fourth round on Friday, the 2012 champion from Russia had an opportunity to ask herself any question she wanted. Sharapova was given a chance to choose what she thinks is a worthy query for a four-time Grand Slam champion.
She wouldn't even dream of going there.
"I certainly don't wake up in the morning and ask myself questions that no one's asked me before," Sharapova said. "But good question."
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW: Not long after pulling off the biggest upset of this year's French Open, Spanish player Garbine Muguruza was, sort of, punished by her coach.
Or at least it could be construed that way.
"Well, I went to the hotel directly, and my coach said, 'Don't touch the mobile. Leave it in my room,"' said Muguruza, who beat defending champion Serena Williams in the second round. "I said, 'OK.' I gave him the mobile."
However, Muguruza understood exactly what her coach was trying to tell her.
"Just concentrate, I have another match," she said.
The strategy certainly didn't hurt, because Muguruza advanced to the fourth round on Friday by beating Anna Schmiedlova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-4. Schmiedlova is the one that eliminated Serena's older sister, Venus.