World No.5 in doubles and WTA pro Taylor Townsend has long admired Serena Williams.

When Serena retired in 2022 after the US Open, Townsend wrote: “@serenawilliams ALL I CAN SAY IS THANK YOU! Thank you for inspiring me to see that a dream that felt unimaginable was possible! Thank you for leading by example and showing how to deal with struggles, criticism, and adversity while the world is watching! I can go on and on, but I cannot wait to see what your next chapter brings! Love you .” But, as the way she is mesmerized by Serena’s impact on Tennis, the 23x Grand Slam champion also seems to be spellbound by Townsend’s fashion outing.

2024 has been a triumphant year for Townsend as it brought her the first Grand Slam of her career at Wimbledon alongside her doubles partner Katerina Siniakova. Now, she looks to have finally got time for herself and the WTA Finals’ runner-up in doubles is leaving no chance to enjoy her tennis break. And what’s better than to embrace the holiday vibes, amid the Christmas season, by sharing her gorgeous looks on social media!

The young American is known for keeping her Instagram updated with a lot of stylish posts. Well, she’s at it again. Taylor took to her Instagram account on Tuesday and shared a glamorous post. The 2024 US Open finalist in mixed doubles dropped a series of photos, sporting a stunning black dress. She paired it up with open-toe heels. Her light blonde hair completed the overall look. “Tay’s 2024 Holiday Card”” she wrote while giving a fitting caption. Indeed, she looked absolutely ready for Christmas.

A fashionista herself, this did not skip the eyes of Serena. And not only she, former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka also became a fan of her looks as they can’t get enough of Taylor’s special “Holiday card.”

Of course, the post had to invite adorable comments and appreciation from her fans. Firstly, the Japanese tennis sensation Osaka dropped her reaction as she was in complete awe of Taylor. “Oh slay ” she simply wrote. Then, it was the turn of the tennis legend, who shared her reaction. “Looking like a snack. What aisle you on? ” she wrote. Notably, this is not the first time Serena has admired Townsend.

On October 18, Taylor took to Instagram to share her bridesmaid look in social media influencer April Buckles’ wedding. She donned a white dress while using products from Serena’s beauty brand Wyn for make-up. “Make up beat thanks to Wyn. @serenawilliams, you did your big one with this,” Townsend wrote. In response, Serena shared the picture on her Instagram story along with two heart emojis. While, this links Townsend with Serena, do you know she strikes a special chord with Naomi Osaka too?

In August, Osaka shared her struggles to return to the court after giving birth to her daughter earlier this year. “My biggest issue is that I don’t feel like I’m in my body. It’s a strange feeling, missing balls I shouldn’t miss, hitting balls softer than I remember I used to,” Osaka wrote, reflecting on the gap between her past and present performance. As a mother who herself made a comeback after giving birth to her son Adyn in 2021, Townsend could easily relate.

“That was the first time that I’ve seen her like in person since having her baby. All of the women who have had kids and came back could have easily been like, I’m good. Like, they’ve accomplished enough to where they didn’t need to, like, you didn’t have to come back. But you decided to, so I commend them. Be like, salute, position is hard,” Townsend said on ‘The Changeover’ podcast in solidarity with Osaka.

Townsend’s journey back to competitive tennis has been indeed inspiring. After her own struggles, she found her rhythm in the 2022 US Open, reaching the women’s doubles final. This was followed by victories in the 2023 Miami Open, French Open, and Cincinnati Open in women’s doubles. As the offseason kicks in, Taylor is also trying to spend time with Adyn, who is now three-year-old. Well, it appears Adyn is keen on taking up the sport when he grows up. In fact, his interest compelled his mother to draw a parallel with a prominent ATP star!

A few days back, Taylor Townsend discovered a special surprise when she caught Adyn trying his hands at tennis. In an Instagram story, dated December 17, the single mother revealed an adorable clip of him playing the sport. His accuracy was so good that he successfully hit a clear shot over the net!

The moment was undoubtedly special for Taylor as she wrote, “You’ve got a backhand on you. AJ Good Job!” Expressing her hopes for Adyn’s bright future in tennis, the mother gave a huge shout-out to the current World No.1, Italy’s Jannik Sinner. “My Man’s gonna have a backhand like @janniksin….I Hope,” she wrote in her caption. To her, Adyn’s stroke-making skills reminded her of Sinner’s on-court heroics he’s known for. Well, that’s a great comparison to make!

Ahead of her 2025 season, Taylor Townsend is trying to fulfill all her responsibilities of being a mother, trying to give as much time as possible to Adyn. But even her son is not behind in supporting her. In one of her recent social media updates, she revealed how he accompanies her to her tennis practice before going to his jiu-jitsu classes. “After my practice, we go jujitsu  ,” she wrote while reflecting on her commitment to being a mother and a professional athlete.