Barbora Krejcikova, left, and Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic embrace as they celebrate their win over Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championships on January 30. (AP Photo)
MELBOURNE, January 30 (AP): Top-ranked Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova took another major step in a partnership which began in junior ranks when they won the Australian Open women’s doubles 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-4 Sunday from unseeded Anna Danilina and Beatriz Haddad Maia.
The Czech pair claimed their first Australian Open title to go with one Wimbledon and two French Open titles to move a step closer to a career Grand Slam in doubles. They also are Olympic champions.
They were finalists in Melbourne last year but went down 6-2, 6-3 to Elise Mertens and Aryna Sabalenka. Krejcikova also had been in top form in the singles in Melbourne this year before unexpectedly falling to Madison Keys in the quarterfinals.
The top seeds were fully stretched by Danilina of Kazakhstan and Haddad Maia of Brazil who put together their partnership less than a month ago and were unbeaten in nine matches before Sunday. They won the Sydney Classic doubles title before tackling their first Grand Slam tournament together.
Danilina and Haddad Maia became the first pair to take a set from Krejcikova and Siniakova in Melbourne and kept the final alive for 2 hours and 42 minutes before finally succumbing.
