Canada's Leylah Fernandez missed out on her third women's doubles final of the season when she and American partner Taylor Townsend fell 6-4, 0-6, 10-6 to Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia on Friday at the Madrid Open.
Fernandez, of Laval, Que., and Townsend got off to a quick start with a break in the opening game. Fernandez and Townsend posted a 6-0 set for the second straight match in a dominant second frame.
The North Americans broke their opponents three times on six chances while saving both break points they faced. The duo could not hold the momentum in a third set that saw Fernandez and Townsend win just 25 per cent of total service points.
Azarenka and Haddad Maia will play the top-seeded American duo of Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff for the title. On the attack during most of his semifinal win at the Madrid Open, Carlos Alcaraz produced his best slice after the match.