Doubling disaster: Venus Williams and Leylah Fernandez squander six match points enroute to dramatic defeat at Miami Open

2026 has not been Venus Williams' year. Still without a win in either singles or doubles, she attempted to change that by partnering back up with Leylah Fernandez. However, after prior success together they could not repeat that winning feeling at the Miami Open, squandering six match points in a humiliating defeat, losing 3-6, 6-3, 13-11.

Somewhat of a dream team, Williams got a last minute invitation from the Canadian ahead of the 2025 US Open doubles. Accepting it, the seven-time Grand Slam champion rolled back the years with her younger compatriot as they stormed all the way to the quarterfinals, eventually losing out to the number one seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend.

Those were the only wins Williams has been able to muster aside from her opening two matches when returning from retirement at the 2025 DC Open. She has played 11 matches in 2026, losing them all. The latest may be the most painful one to swallow for the 45-year-old who continues to plough on, attempting to roll back the years on court.

Entered as wildcards, they looked ot get their doubles campaign off with a win. Having previously both been dumped out of the singles tournament, this was their only chance at salvaging any positives from a disappointing Sunshine swing.

They were drawn against the sixth seeds Asia Muhammad and Erin Routliffe. The match started well for Williams and Fernandez, going 3-1 ahead after breaking to love. They would survive a break point from their rivals later on but managed to take the first set in commanding fashion.

They continued their momentum into the second, breaking instantly as they took a huge stride towards the second round. However, after taking a 2-0 lead they would lose six of the next seven games on offer as Muhammad and Routliffe stormed back, clawing back the deficit which levelled the match up and forced a third set tiebreak to decide who would feature later in this tournament.

It looked for all certainty that Williams and Fernandez would comfortably do this. The momentum again shifted in their favour as they raced into a huge advantage. From 4-1, to 6-3 and eventually 9-4, they were in total control and had five match winning opportunities.

A lot of time and chances were afforded, but all wasted. Fernandez especially will want to forget three hugely critical errors that halted their charge towards the next stage. Many fans would have expected the players to be walking off by this time, but instead the sixth seeds had drawn the scoreline back to 9-9. They made it six points won in a row to create their first match point but that was snuffed out.

Williams and Fernandez looked to close it out with a sixth match point but again they could not get the job done. Their punishment would be delivered a couple of points later as Muhammad and Routliffe sealed the deal with the eighth match point in the tiebreak, their second.

That concludes both Williams and Fernandez's average Sunshine double in humiliating fashion. They will now look towards the clay swing, hoping for a chance to reset and go again after negative 2026 campaigns took another blow.