World No.73 Taylor Townsend said the tennis world is not a united place when it comes to racism and that she was regularly mistaken for other black players, including the Williams sisters.

The 24-year-old American spoke to Tennis United about her experiences on tour and said she receives extra attention from security at tournaments compared to other players to “make sure I belong”.

“Even in the tennis world it is not a united place,” Townsend said.

“We lose our identity of who we are because there can only be one.

“I’ve had people argue with me to tell me that I’m Coco Gauff.

“I’m not Coco Gauff but all of us look the same, all of us are built the same, everybody sees a black person and they assume it’s Venus or Serena or Sloane (Stephens).

“I’ve been literally all of them down the list except for myself.

“Even from the aspect you walk through and nobody stops you and I’m walking through and somebody has to check my bag, check my credential, check my coach’s bag, check my coach’s credential.”

Townsend made the comments as protests continued in cities around the world on Sunday in response to the death of African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis while in police custody.

“This is our reality and this is the reality that we’ve been having to deal with for so long, of people not being comfortable with you,” Townsend said.

“It happens all the time – week in, week out, every tournament that I play in the States, overseas, it doesn’t matter.”

Townsend, who turned pro in December 2012, is yet to win a WTA title and reached her highest ranking of 61st two years ago.

Teenage prodigy Gauff appeared at a protest in her hometown of Delray Beach, Florida, on Wednesday, calling for racial and social justice.

“I think it’s sad that I’m here protesting the same thing (my grandmother) did 50 years ago,” Gauff said at the rally, days after posting a video on social media in which she pledged to use her voice to fight against racism.