MELBOURNE, Jan 31 – Elise Mertens and Zhang Shuai, the fourth seeds, defeated Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic 7-6(4), 6-4 to win the Australian Open women’s doubles championship on Saturday. This marks the first Grand Slam title for the seasoned pair.
Achievements and Close Calls
The triumph brings Mertens her sixth Grand Slam doubles crown and Zhang her third. The duo faced a tense journey, nearly exiting in the second round after saving three match points against young talents Iva Jovic and Victoria Mboko.
Final Match Breakdown
Early in the final, Mertens and Zhang trailed 1-4 against the seventh-seeded opponents but mounted a strong comeback to seize the advantage. The first set extended to a tiebreak, where they dominated to secure it in 55 minutes.
Momentum carried into the second set as the winners surged to a 5-0 lead. Danilina and Krunic responded with one game and mounted a rally, saving two championship points amid Krunic’s impressive play on Rod Laver Arena. Ultimately, Mertens and Zhang prevailed when Zhang delivered a decisive backhand winner at the net on Mertens’ serve.
