Every great rise in tennis is built on trust, and for Taylor Townsend, that trust had a name. From behind-the-scenes training sessions to Grand Slam glory, John Williams played a central role in her evolution. But after a partnership that delivered two Grand Slam titles in the doubles (2024 Wimbledon and 2025 AO) and also a historic world number one ranking in the same category, Townsend has decided to turn the page…
The journey began quietly, long before the trophies and headlines followed. In 2015, when Townsend was still searching for consistency on the biggest stages, Williams entered her corner – not as a headline coach, but as her strength and conditioning guide. Back then, the partnership was built on sweat, patience, and belief rather than immediate results. Over time, their bond deepened. Williams evolved from focusing on Townsend’s physical preparation to becoming her mental and performance coach, shaping not just how she played but how she competed. And then by 2021, he had become a central figure in her team. But now, Townsend has parted ways with Williams.
If we take a look at John Williams’ career, the 53-year-old American coach has coached over 1,500 athletes, including 12 Olympians and 8 champions. He is the founder and Chief Clarity Coach at Elevate With John, an evolution-based organization at the pinnacle of human performance, coaching, and rehabilitation. He and his team are known for bringing to fruition cutting-edge methodology, consistently yielding profound enhancements in mental fortitude, strength, speed, agility, and flexibility. Williams has a famous saying:
BREAKING COACHING NEWS: Taylor Townsend and John Williams have parted ways.
During their time together, Townsend won two Grand Slam doubles titles and became the first mother to be crowned doubles World No 1.
— Black Spin Global (@BlackSpinGlobal) December 12, 2025
“I’m not just coaching forehands and backhands — I’m building people.”And guess what? From long training days to mental battles away from the spotlight, Williams stood beside Taylor Townsend as she redefined what was possible in modern tennis. Their success became a symbol of perseverance, showing that comebacks can be just as powerful as breakthroughs. While the reasons for the split remain private (as of now), the impact of their time together is undeniable. What did both Townsend and Williams say about their unique bonding in the past, though?
How did Williams become Taylor Townsend’s permanent coach?
Some coaching partnerships are measured in trophies; others are defined by transformation. For Taylor Townsend, John Williams represented both. As Townsend moves forward, the end of this chapter marks both a goodbye and a celebration of what they achieved together. There have been several instances when we have seen these two showing their love, support, and trust in each other through their statements. Townsend had a relatively good outing in the singles event of the US Open this year, and here is what she said after her third-round win against Russian star Mirra Andreeva…
“I want to dedicate this win to my coach; we’ve been through blood, sweat, and tears.” Although her journey at the singles came to an end at the hands of Barbora Krejčíková in a three-set thriller, it equaled her best performance at her home slam. In the doubles, she reached the final alongside Katerina Siniakova. During a conversation on the Functional Tennis Podcast, Williams spoke about Taylor Townsend’s incredible dedication.
“She’ll do anything I ask her to do at pretty much any time. I could call her up at 2:00 in the morning, wake her up from a great night’s sleep, and say, ‘We need to go downstairs and do some cardio.’ And she’ll say, ‘Okay, give me 20 minutes.”
But there is an interesting story about how this partnership got started. In an interview with Coach Unboxed, Williams explained how Taylor Townsend handpicked him despite not being a traditional tennis coach.
“She’s like no, I want you to be my tennis coach. And I said, you do realize I don’t play tennis, right? She said yeah, that’s why I want you to coach me, because the things that you’ve taught me, the questions you’ve asked me … nobody’s ever done those things before.”
According to Taylor Townsend, it was “perspective” that was going to push her “back to the top” of her game. She wanted to get better post-pregnancy, and guess what? Williams helped her become the first mother to be crowned doubles world number one. Quite fascinating, isn’t it? Share your thoughts about their wonderful stint, and let us know if you feel Townsend made the right call.