It was fun to watch UPA Tour Pro Donald Young close his tennis career at the US Open and earn some hardware for his efforts alongside Taylor Townsend.

Securing a runner-up finish as a wildcard mixed doubles tandem in a Grand Slam is quite an accomplishment.

During Thursday's post-match press conference, Townsend had a little fun at her long-time friend's expense when a question about America's fastest-growing sport came up.

"During this tournament, have you done some specific pickleball shots during some points?" a reporter asked Young.

"He better not have," interjected Townsend with a smile.

"You did hit one. You hit a volley straight in the bottom of the net. I was like, 'Oh my god, that was a dink.' I was like, 'What the hell was that?'" she added laughingly.

Young took the jab in stride, of course.

The 35-year-old Atlanta native openly admitted that his pickleball skills came into play in Flushing Meadows. 

"I don’t want to say there’s a bunch of crossover [between tennis and pickleball], but there’s some with the movement, like covering the middle. Some things in pickleball, it’s kind of like natural, you kind of do it, so when I got into a couple of exchanges early in the tournament that were kind of in the service box and I won them, in my head I was like, 'Yeah, that was from me being able to dink and play well,' but in general I think it helps with the reflexes and getting a little faster. It’s a totally different game in a sense. They just have some crossover terms and strokes," he explained. "I’ve been playing [pickleball] so much that some shots did, in my mind after, I didn’t say them out loud, but I was like, 'Yeah, that was from that.'"

All kidding aside, Townsend is among Young's strongest supporters.

The reigning Wimbledon women's doubles champion made it crystal clear that her countryman has a bright future ahead of him in pickleball.

"You’re going to be kicking everybody’s ass when you go back out and play," she said.

"Yeah, 100 percent," he answered.

Young has already played his fair share of PPA Tour events and scored a few impressive victories with singles triumphs over Connor Garnett and Jay Devilliers, so he should feel confident moving forward.

The member of MLP's Florida Smash certainly has big aspirations.

"Everything I do, I want to be the best I can possibly be at. To be the best would be awesome," mentioned Young. "I want to start competing and making it to final weekends on a consistent basis, so that’s that."

Young is slated to compete in singles, men's doubles (with Travis Rettenmaier), and mixed doubles (with Ewa Radzikowska) at the PPA Tour's CIBC Atlanta Slam next week at Life Time Peachtree Corners in Peachtree Corners, GA.

Click here to purchase tickets to the tournament.