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Coco Gauff and Taylor Townsend locked horns in an exhibition match during the 2022 Atlanta Open on Sunday, with the teenager coming out on top. The American produced a fine display of tennis to beat her compatriot 6-3, 6-3 at Atlantic Station.
Following the match, Gauff said that she had a lot of fun during the night and went on to lavish praise on her opponent, stating that she could not have asked for a better person than Townsend to play the exhibition fixture with.
“I think it was a great performance. Had a lot of fun, wasn’t sure how it was going to be tonight. Taylor made it super fun. I think, you know, these matches have to do with the right person. And I think Taylor was the right person,” Gauff said, via the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Though it was not an official match, it had a few notable moments which were wholesome and funny. On that note, let’s take a look at the top three moments from Coco Gauff's exhibition match against Taylor Townsend:
#1 Coco Gauff debuted her new signature shoe
Gauff debuted her new signature shoe, the NB Coco CG1, for this match. The shoe, which is designed by New Balance, is said to be among the most technologically advanced entities of its kind, and carries a distinct 90s vibe that makes it a stand-out.
Speaking in a recent interview, Gauff said that it was a dream come true to debut her signature shoe and that she was excited to see how people wore it on and off the court.
"It's an absolute dream come true to be able to put my stamp on this sport with New Balance and hopefully inspire generations to come. I am really excited to see how people wear this shoe, on and off the court," the World No. 11 said.
#2 Taylor Townsend's son Adyn appearing on court
The sweetest moment from the event, without a doubt, was when Taylor Townsend's 19-month-old son Adyn accompanied her on the court. The American took a long maternity break from the game last year due to the pregnancy and only returned to action this March.
Seeing the World No. 108 back on the court once more, this time with her son joining her for a session of casual hitting, delighted the fans in attendance in Atlanta to no end.
#3 Coco Gauff and Taylor Townsend did the tortilla slap challenge
The most hilarious moment from the event was when Gauff and Townsend took part in the tortilla slap challenge. The two filled their mouths with water and played a game of rock-paper-scissors to determine who would slap the other with a tortilla first.
Townsend won the bout and slapped Gauff, leading both players to burst out laughing. They had another round and this time, the 18-year-old got to slap Townsend.
After beating Townsend, Coco Gauff played another exhibition match -- against Sofia Kenin, who was back in action for the first time since the Indian Wells Open. The 18-year-old prevailed once again, beating the 2020 Australian Open champion 6-1, 6-2 to cap off a successful return to Atlanta.
Gauff is next scheduled to compete at the Silicon Valley Open in San Jose, California as the seventh seed. She will be joined at the WTA500 event by the likes of Naomi Osaka, Paula Badosa and Ons Jabeur, among others.
