MINSK, 21 June (BelTA) – Belarus' Victoria Azarenka and Aryna Sabalenka won the doubles event at the Grass Court Championships Berlin 2021, BelTA has learned.
In the final the Belarusian duo saw off Nicole Melichar of the United States and Demi Schuurs of the Netherlands 4-6, 7-5, 10-4 in an hour and 22 minutes.
Victoria Azarenka and Aryna Sabalenka have never reached the WTA doubles final together before. With other partners Victoria Azarenka won eight tournaments. Aryna Sabalenka won five tournaments paired with Elise Mertens of Belgium.
On the way to the final in the German capital Victoria Azarenka and Aryna Sabalenka outlasted the Czech duo Karolina Muchova and Karolina Pliskova, 6-1, 6-3. In the quarterfinal the Belarusian duo defeated the Croatian-U.S. tandem of Petra Martic and Shelby Rogers 6-3, 6-4. In the semifinal the Belarusian players proved stronger over Sharon Fichman of Canada and Giuliana Olmos of Mexico 7-5, 3-6, 10-6.
In the singles semifinal world number 16 Victoria Azarenka lost to Russia's world number 106 Liudmila Samsonova 4-6, 2-6. Earlier, the former world number one triumphed over Germany's world number 129 Andrea Petkovic, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2), in the opener, saw off Germany's world number 27 Angelique Kerber, 6-3, 7-5 in the round of Last 16 and defeated world number 26 Jessica Pegula of the United States, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.
Belarus' world number 4 Aryna Sabalenka lost to world number 28 Madison Keys of the United States, 4-6, 6-1, 5-7 at the start of the Grass Court Championships Berlin 2021.
