Alas! Azarenka tags Haddad Mia mid-rally during US Open doubles win

NEW YORK — Victoria Azarenka and Beatrice Hadad Maia have a dangerous amount of fire-power between them as a doubles team, but what happens when they unleash each other’s attacking ground games?

We found out at the US Open.

Azarenka lined herself up to the baseline overhead early in the match en route to a dominant 6-2, 6-0 win over 15th-seeded Miu Gatto and Aldila Sudziadi in the third round of doubles. Haddad cleared the middle of the court to damage the two-time Australian Open champion, but there was an angle the Brazilian didn’t account for.

Azarenka went forehand and made it her partner, drawing laughter from everyone on the court.

Check out the point below:

No harm, no wrong. Azarenka and Haddad Maia have proved a formidable doubles pairing this season, capturing the title in Madrid this spring. An unranked and dangerous team, they secured a win to advance to the quarter-finals. They will face 2020 champions Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva for a place in the semi-finals.

In the other doubles match, Marta Kostyuk and Elena-Gabriela Roos defeated Marta Kostyuk and Elena-Gabriela Roos 6-4, 6-1, while No. 3 seed Coco Koff and Jessica Pegula maintained their chances of finishing as joint No. 1s. The Americans next face French Open champions Hsieh Su-Wei and Wang Xinyu in the quarterfinals. Hsieh is on pace to finish the tournament at No. 1.

Taylor Townsend took the hopes of winning her first WTA 1000 title in Cincinnati to New York, emerging as one of the event’s fan-favourite stars. She reached the semifinals with Ben Sheldon in the mixed doubles and the quarterfinals with Leila Fernandez in the doubles. Fernandez and Townsend, seeded sixth, will face Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Rudliff. Townsend could finish the tournament at No.1, pending a decision.

The last quarter-final features two unseeded teams. Jennifer Brady and Luisa Stefani take on Magda Lynette and Bernarda Pera.