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Showering praise on Taylor Townsend, her doubles partner Leylah Fernandez recently remarked that she was thrilled to be playing alongside the "fellow lefty" and learning from her.
The duo bowed out of the 2023 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells after losing to the Czech pair of Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova (eventual champions) in the second round. However, a couple of nail-biting wins at the 2023 Miami Open helped them reach the final, where Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff defeated them 7-6(6), 6-2.
Fernandez, who lost to Emma Raducanu in the 2021 US Open final, beat Evgeniya Rodina in the first round of the Credit One Charleston Open to set up a second-round meeting with Paula Badosa. Speaking to the Tennis Channel after the match, the Canadian revealed that Townsend helped her during their matches and that Fernandez got to learn from her since they both played left-handed.
"Oh, she's amazing, she's so positive and I don't know how to say it but she's very energetic on court," Fernandez said. "Like every time I play with her, she's giving me pointers here and there in a positive way, which makes me feel good and I'm just super happy to be playing with her."
"I'm learning from her, she's also left-handed, so I get to see how she serves, how she does her volleys, and what she does with angles. So it's amazing to learn from a fellow lefty," she added.
How did Taylor Townsend and Leylah Fernandez team up?
Speaking on the Tennis Channel during the 2023 Miami Open, Taylor Townsend and Leylah Fernandez were asked how they found each other to form a doubles team. The 20-year-old Canadian stated that 14th-ranked (in doubles) Townsend asked her if she wanted to partner her at the Sunshine Double, to which Fernandez readily agreed.
"I think we started talking in Australia. In Australia, we started talking, and then I think once the Middle East hit, Taylor asked me if we wanted to play for Indian Wells and Miami, and of course, I said yes. Why would I say no to that question?" Fernandez said.
"But I think it's such a great opportunity for me to learn more about doubles and also learn, like how to be playing with a lefty. So, it was so, so nice to be sharing a court with Taylor. I'm learning a lot and I'm also having a lot of fun," she added.
Taylor Townsend and Leylah Fernandez will take on Poland's Katarzyna Kawa and Alicja Rosolska in the first round of the 2023 Credit One Charleston Open.
