India, Aug. 30 -- In 2012, as an American 16-year-old at the top of the world junior rankings, Taylor Townsend was asked to sit out of the girls' US Open event and denied a wild card to have a crack among the pros by the US tennis association due to apparent concerns around her fitness.

Townsend has since played a few times on the US Open show court but Friday was different. This was Arthur Ashe Stadium decked up for its prime time night session. This was a packed crowd waiting to welcome a now 29-year-old homegrown world No.139 taking on a world No.5 Russian teen sensation.

Walking through the tunnel that leads into the gigantic arena, Townsend took off her headphones and turned off the music.

"Because," she would say later, "I wanted...