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01/31 01:40 CST Mertens and Zhang, Harrison and Skupski win Australian Open
doubles titles
Mertens and Zhang, Harrison and Skupski win Australian Open doubles titles
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) --- Elise Mertens marked her return to the No. 1
ranking in women's doubles by combining with China's Zhang Shuai to win the
Australian Open title on Saturday, joined later by American Christian Harrison
and Britain's Neal Skupski who won the men's doubles trophy.
Back together after four years apart as a team, Mertens and Zhang trailed 3-0
and 4-1 in the first set but rallied to beat Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and
Serbia's Aleksandra Krunic 7-6 (4), 6-4. Mertens and Zhang led the final set
5-0 before withstanding a comeback attempt when Danilina and Krunic won four
straight games.
Harrison served an ace on match point to give he and Skupski a win in the men's
final by the same score as the women --- 7-6 (4), 6-4 --- over the Australian
pair of Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans. Kubler went into the match with a 14-3
doubles record at his home major.
Harrison and Skupski, who both competed at last year's ATP Finals with
different partners, joined as a team for the first time in Adelaide earlier
this month, where they reached the semifinals.
Currently ranked No. 6 in doubles, Mertens, who won the Wimbledon doubles title
last year with Veronika Kudermetova, will return to the No. 1 ranking after the
Australian Open.
That will mark the Belgian player's 40th cumulative week as No. 1 in doubles
and was guaranteed regardless of the outcome of the Melbourne Park final
Saturday.
The win Saturday was Mertens' sixth Grand Slam doubles title, including 2021
and 2024 at Melbourne Park. Zhang now has three, including the 2019 Australian
Open and the 2021 U.S. Open.
It was their first Grand Slam trophy as a team, having lost the 2022 Wimbledon
final in their last appearance together.
"This is like cherry on the cake," Mertens said. "We paired up as a team very
last-minute . . . this was our first tournament back together. In the second
round we saved three match points, so that kind of took us to another level. An
unbelievable two weeks."
Mertens reached the fourth round of women's singles at Melbourne Park this year
before being beaten by eventual finalist Elena Rybakina.
Zhang said she and Mertens adapt well.
"We know how to play finals, we know how to win finals," Zhang said. "We are
both very calm. If something doesn't work . . . we always adjust."
Harrison said his men's trophy was an added plus to his love of the game.
"For me, it's just simple," Harrison said. "The trophies, the tournaments are
just a nice bonus. I love playing. Honestly, I just love stepping on the court
and just having a good atmosphere. That's honestly what makes it just simple
for me."
Skupski said that despite the pro-Australian crowd at Rod Laver Arena, he and
Harrison handled the pressure well.
"We knuckled down and had to bring our best level," Skupski said. "This will
definitely improve us, give us experience, and know what to do next time.
Especially in front of a crowd that, like today, was incredible."
The mixed doubles final was played on Friday, when Australians Olivia Gadecki
and John Peers became the first team to win consecutive titles since 1989 after
beating the French pair of Kristina Mladenovic and Manuel Guinard 4-6, 6-3,
10-8.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
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