Unseeded pair Sam Stosur and Zhang Shuai defeated second seeds Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic 6-3 6-4 to claim the women’s doubles title at the Australian Open here on Friday.
Sam Stosur (left) and Zhang Shuai pose with the trophy
Melbourne:
Stosur claimed her third Grand Slam doubles title after winning the 2005 US Open and 2006 French Open, while Zhang celebrated her first.
Australian Stosur, who has a history of suffering attacks of nerves in front of home fans, struggled to serve out the match at the Rod Laver Arena and double-faulted on match point. But, she and China’s Zhang held on and claimed the win when Hungary’s Babos struck long in a baseline duel with Stosur.
Stosur claimed her third Grand Slam doubles title after winning the 2005 US Open and 2006 French Open, while Zhang celebrated her first.