Watch now

Ready, Plate! Taylor Townsend makes case for Flamin' Hot Cheetos with nacho cheese

The 26-year-old American reached the second round at the Miami Open, before teaming up with Leylah Fernandez in doubles.

By Stephanie Livaudais
Tennis Extra | Citi Taste of Tennis returns to Indian Wells 20230:30
WATCH: Players and guests had a blast as Citi Taste of Tennis returned to Indian Wells ahead of the BNP Paribas Open

They say food is life, and in 2023 American player Taylor Townsend has been living her best life yet.

The 26-year-old kicked off the season winning back-to-back WTA doubles titles in Adelaide—and with two different partners, no less, lifting the trophy with Asia Muhammad and then Luisa Stefani during her trip Down Under.

Ranked No. 126 in singles, the Tennis Channel commentator has been making waves in Miami too—qualifying for her first WTA 1000 main draw and pushing No. 18 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova to three sets in the second round—but the Chicago native is still finding ways to treat herself.

We caught up with Townsend at the Citi Taste of Tennis in Miami to talk about food, memories, and what exactly the “taste of tennis” really is.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 19: Taylor Townsend of the United States reacts in their round two singles match against Ekaterina Alexandrova during day four of the 2023 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 19, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
© Marc GIAMMETTA

Q: Tell me about a dish that tastes like your childhood?

TOWNSEND: Oooh, great question. This is going to be crazy, okay? So it’s like Flamin' Hot Cheetos, but with nacho cheese. (laughter)

Q: Wait, you eat these together?!

TOWNSEND: Yes! You dip the Cheetos into the nacho cheese, or you pour the cheese on top and then eat it out of the bag like that. (laughter)

Q: How did you come up with this dish?

TOWNSEND: I don’t know, it’s just a Chicago thing! Yeah, I don’t know. It’s crazy!

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 07: Taylor Townsend of the United States and Asia Muhammad of the United States pose with their champions trophy after defeating Storm Hunter of Australia and Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic in the doubles final during Day 7 of the 2023 Adelaide International at Memorial Drive on January 07, 2023 in Adelaide, Australia (Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images)
© 2023 Robert Prange

Q: Tell me about a dish that tastes like home to you now?

TOWNSEND: The taste of home now… I think it’s got to be a deep dish pizza, where the pizza sauce and the cheese are just dripping out. That’s the taste of Chicago, really.

Q: How about a dish that tastes like victory?

TOWNSEND: Literally anything sweet! I love sweets, that’s how I treat myself.

Q: And finally… What does tennis taste like?

TOWNSEND: A cold beer! (laughter)

Mark your calendars and clear your plates: Citi Taste of Tennis will be back during the Citi Open in Washington D.C. on July 30 and in New York City ahead of the US Open on August 24.