“It was so hard to say no to Venus”: Leylah Fernandez reflects on missed chance and Miami reunion

Leylah Fernandez provided a candid insight into her evolving doubles partnership with Venus Williams, revealing that their recent reunion at the Miami Open could have happened earlier. Speaking at the Credit One Charleston Open, the Canadian described the difficulty of turning down a request from the former World No. 1, offering a perspective shaped more by personal connection than scheduling logistics.

The two first teamed up at the 2025 US Open, forming a high-profile partnership that combined experience and youth. Since then, they have remained in contact, exploring opportunities to reunite on court. Their latest appearance together in Miami marked a continuation of that collaboration, though Fernandez disclosed that plans had nearly materialised earlier in the season.

Fernandez, currently ranked No. 24 in singles and No. 80 in doubles, has balanced her commitments across both disciplines in 2026. In Charleston, she competed in doubles alongside Kristina Mladenovic, exiting in the opening round, while progressing more comfortably in singles with a straight-sets win over Polina Kudermetova to reach the Round of 16.

However, the most revealing element of her press conference centred on what did not happen. An opportunity to partner Williams at the Australian Open was missed due to prior commitments, a decision Fernandez described as particularly difficult given her respect for the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion.

Fernandez explained that Williams had reached out with a proposal to play doubles in Australia, but the timing left her unable to accept. Having already committed to Timea Babos, she was forced to decline, despite acknowledging the significance of the invitation and her desire to share the court again with Williams.

“Yeah. With Venus we kind of kept in contact after the US Open. We were hoping to play — well, she asked me to play in Australia, but unfortunately I was already committed with Timea Babos, so that was it. And then I did ask if she was going to the Middle East, but she wasn’t.”

The decision was not taken lightly. Fernandez described the emotional weight of declining Williams, highlighting the personal dynamic between them and the difficulty of disappointing a player she views as a mentor figure. The situation was compounded by the narrow timing window, with the request arriving just days after her commitment had been finalised.

“There’s no disrespect to Timea. She’s an amazing doubles player. She’s had an amazing career. But it was so hard to say no to Venus because she has that big sister energy. I never want to disappoint my siblings, and saying no to them is so hard. When her coach messaged me, I was like, ‘Oh no! It’s two days too late!’ I couldn’t do it.”

Despite the missed opportunity in Australia, Fernandez and Williams eventually reunited in Miami, where their partnership offered both competitive and developmental value. Fernandez emphasised the mentorship aspect of playing alongside Williams, particularly in high-pressure moments such as match tiebreaks.

She recalled a decisive moment in a third-set tiebreak where missed volleys contributed to a narrow defeat. The immediate emotional response was disappointment, but Williams’ reaction provided a contrasting perspective, reinforcing resilience and long-term focus rather than dwelling on errors.

“It was a lot of fun. She’s a great mentor. In the last tiebreak, the third-set tiebreaker, we were up and we lost it. I remember I had a couple of easy volleys and I missed, and I was really heartbroken at the end of the match. She told me I played great, just to keep going, keep forward. If we all had a time machine, we would use it, but we don’t, so just keep moving forward.”

Fernandez noted that this exchange had a tangible impact on her mindset, helping her reframe the loss and maintain focus on improvement. The experience underscored the broader value of their partnership, extending beyond results into areas of mental approach and professional growth. “That definitely helped me to recharge and look at the bright side and just keep working the next day and find ways to improve.”