In doubles play, Leylah Fernandez and Venus Williams missed six match points in their Miami Open doubles match against Monica Niculescu and Vera Zvonareva.
Fernandez and Williams played together at the US Open, where they were able to make an impressive run to the quarterfinals.
There were plans for a reunion at Indian Wells, but due to an error, they didn’t get the chance to share the court again until Miami.
Despite their early lead in the match tie-break, several mistakes from Fernandez allowed Niculescu and Zvonareva to turn things around. This included Fernandez missing three routine volleys that could have sealed the win at 9-7, 9-8, and 9-10 before they eventually lost two more match points.
Leylah Fernandez grateful for Venus Williams support after doubles defeat
Williams didn’t appear to hold any grudges towards Fernandez, and even posted a supportive message on social media following their Miami Open exit.
Fernandez has already shifted focus to the Charleston Open, where she won her opening match against Polina Kudermetova. In her post-match press conference, she was asked about her recent doubles experience with Williams.
The Canadian admitted she was disappointed with some of her mistakes but said Williams’ words helped put things into perspective.
“I had a couple of easy shots, easy volleys, and I missed,” said Fernandez. “I was really heartbroken at the end of the match because I really wanted to end the day with a win.
“And she told me I played great, just to keep going, keep forward [and that] if we all had a time machine, we would use it, but we don’t, so just keep moving forward.
“That quote definitely helped me to kind of recharge and look at the bright side and just keep working the next day and find ways to improve.”
Fernandez falls short again in Charleston doubles, this time alongside Mladenovic
While Leylah Fernandez has been able to bounce back in singles, she suffered more doubles heartbreak at the Charleston Open.
She lost playing with former top 10 singles player and nine-time Grand Slam doubles champion Kristina Mladenovic after having match points again.
The pair had a match point in the tie-break but were eventually beaten 7-6(2), 2-6 [11-9] by Magdalena Frech and Anna Bondar.
This marks a third straight doubles defeat for Fernandez, who has now lost five of her last six matches in the discipline.
Even with the losses piling up, Fernandez is still alive in singles play at Charleston. She’ll face Diana Shnaider next for a place in the quarterfinals.
Their head-to-head record stands at two wins each, though Shnaider has taken their last two meetings, including one earlier this year in Adelaide.
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