CINCINNATI — Canada’s Leylah Fernandez and Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva lost 3-6, 6-1, 10-4 to American Asia Muhammad and New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe in the women’s doubles final at the Cincinnati Open on Sunday.
Fernandez and Putintseva won 61.8 per cent of their first-serve points while their opponents won 74.3 per cent in the 80-minute match.
The third-seeded Routliffe and Muhammad hit three aces with five double faults. Fernandez and Putintseva committed three double faults without an ace.
Routliffe was born in New Zealand to Canadian parents and represented Canada until switching allegiances in 2017. The 29-year-old is the world No. 1 in women’s doubles.
Fernandez, a 21-year-old from Laval, Que., suffered a 7-5, 6-7 (1), 7-6 (3) singles defeat at the hands of American Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Open on Saturday. The match lasted three hours and four minutes.
Fernandez is scheduled to take on Romania’s Ana Bogdan at the Tennis in the Land tournament on Tuesday in Cleveland.
The WTA 250 event is the final tune-up for the U.S. Open, the last Grand Slam of the year.
In a surprising turn of events, rising tennis star Leylah Fernandez and her partner Yulia Putintseva were defeated in the doubles final at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. The duo, who had been playing exceptionally well throughout the tournament, fell short in a hard-fought match against their opponents.
Fernandez, who has been making waves in the tennis world with her impressive performances, was hoping to add another title to her collection. The 18-year-old Canadian has been on a hot streak recently, reaching the final of the US Open last year and capturing her first WTA singles title earlier this year.
Putintseva, a seasoned player with years of experience on the tour, was also looking to clinch the doubles title in Cincinnati. The Kazakhstani player is known for her tenacity on the court and her ability to compete against some of the top players in the world.
Despite their best efforts, Fernandez and Putintseva were unable to overcome their opponents in the final match. The loss will undoubtedly be disappointing for the pair, but they can take pride in their strong performance throughout the tournament.
This defeat serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of tennis and the challenges that come with competing at the highest level. Fernandez and Putintseva will no doubt use this experience as motivation to continue improving and striving for success in future tournaments.
As they regroup and prepare for their next matches, fans can expect to see more impressive performances from Fernandez and Putintseva on the court. With their talent and determination, these two players are sure to make a mark on the tennis world for years to come.