Donald Young, the former No. 38 in the PIF ATP Rankings who reached two ATP Tour finals, is enjoying a dream run in the final tournament of his career, partnering longtime friend Taylor Townsend to the semi-finals of the US Open mixed doubles event. The lefties are two victories from major glory.
But win or lose, the 35-year-old Young will not be remembered just for his impressive accolades — winning 124 tour-level matches, including three against Top 10 opponents — and making waves in the sport by winning the Australian Open boys’ singles event aged 15 before debuting on the ATP Tour a month later. Young will be remembered for the impact he made on future generations.
The American played a critical part in several professionals’ careers, serving as a role model for the likes of Christopher Eubanks and Taylor Townsend. Before playing college tennis for Georgia Institute of Technology, Eubanks traveled as a hitting partner for Young.
“Donald’s career meant everything to me. He gave me the opportunity just to train with him every day, which was a privilege in itself. But not only that, he allowed me to see the world with him and see it from the perspective of a professional tennis player,” Eubanks said. “He allowed me to be there as a practice partner and learn the ins and outs on what it’s like to be on Tour. In so many ways, he instilled so much confidence that I could actually do it. And I think the biggest thing he did for me was simply just being there and being a big brother, being a tremendous resource to go to when I had various questions or even questions about my game. He instilled so much confidence into my abilities. And he would always tell me, ‘You’re good enough, you’re good enough. You can play out here too’.”
Coming from southwest Atlanta, there were not many role models who excelled on the pro tour for Eubanks after Jarmere Jenkins and Scoville Jenkins. Young and his parents relocating to Atlanta and running a tennis centre 10 minutes from Eubanks’ house proved critical.
“I always say I got extremely lucky that he and his family came into my life, because without them, without their generosity of allowing me to be able to travel and practise with them, I truly don’t believe that I would be here as a professional tennis player now,” Eubanks said. “So I owe him and his family everything because they gave me the idea and the confidence to say that, ‘Hey, you can be a professional tennis player and this is the way things are done, as a professional tennis player.”
<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2023/07/08/06/08/eubanks-young-hitting-partner.jpg?w=100%25&hash=01C9853089C4525E0C0D7BAEF5697A58″ style=”width:100%;” alt=”Christopher Eubanks travelled with former Top 50 player Donald Young as a hitting partner.” />
Photo: Donald Young
Townsend and Young also reached the US Open mixed doubles semi-finals in 2014 and a decade later, they are within striking distance of the trophy.
“He’s retiring so he asked me to play,” Townsend told WTA Insider ahead of the tournament. “I was like, ‘You’re the reason I believed I could play any sort of pro tennis’, because he’s the closest I was around to it. It would be an honour for me to play with you and share the court for you on your retirement.”
For all the wins Young earned — including victories against Andy Murray in 2011 at Indian Wells, Gael Monfils later that year in Bangkok and Tomas Berdych in 2015 at the Canadian ATP Masters 1000 event — the impact on others sticks with him.
“It’s awesome. To have been a little or a big part of some people’s trajectory or upbringing or development is huge for me, because I would have loved to have that personal connection for me growing up,” Young said. “I just tried to do a lot of the things that I felt I didn’t get, so it could help someone else. Because going through it and learning it the first time, because for me and my parents and people around, it was the first time it was ever happening.
“To have the experience and then be able to pass it along so maybe someone can miss those roadblocks and bumps, it was pretty important for me. Personally, it was something I always wanted to do.”
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Young will also be able to say that he was able to test his skills against some of the best players in history. He competed against Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
“They were all playing at the same time, and to compete with them and be on the court is awesome. I talk to friends, and I tell them how it was. They ask me how it was, and I tell them, and it’s just when you’re in the moment and losing to them it’s not a great experience,” Young said, cracking a laugh. “But in hindsight and looking back, it’s pretty cool that you can say you did those things. I’m blessed to have played that long and played against them, because that means I was playing [at] a pretty decent level as well.”
When Young was growing up, his goal alongside his family was to earn a college scholarship and pay for his education through tennis. To surge well beyond that, enjoy success and inspire others has been “Awesome”.
“It just changed the trajectory of my life, my family’s life,” Young said. “And for that, I’m definitely indebted and grateful to tennis.”
What is his message to his fans as he nears the end of his career?
“Thanks for everything,” Young said. “And again, if you told the 12-year-old me that I would have done all these things, he would have been super excited and taken it any day of the week. He would have been very proud and excited.
“So I’m happy, because that’s the one that had all the dreams and wanted to do it. So if you’d have told that person that, he would have been happy and proud of it. I can definitely be proud of it here at 35, so it’s nice.”
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