Clara Tauson suffers another early US Open exit in doubles

The US Open offered Clara Tauson little relief in a difficult tennis season. After losing in the singles first round earlier in the week, the 23-year-old Dane also exited the doubles tournament at the first hurdle.

Tauson and her American partner, Ann Li, lost 6-2, 6-2 to New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe and Indonesia’s Aldila Sutjiadi. The more experienced pair broke serve in the opening game and added another break in the seventh game to take the first set.

The second set began just as badly for Tauson and Li. They lost their first two service games and fell 3-0 behind, then dropped serve again in the third game. Although they broke back in the seventh game, they could not change the course of the match.

Tauson and Li have teamed up several times this season, but without major success. They also lost in the first round of the French Open doubles. Tauson began the year pushing toward the top 10, but now sits 38th after a season marked by injuries and inconsistent form. A series of Asian tournaments will provide her final chances to repair a difficult year.