MINSK, 19 February (BelTA) – Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka and Elise Mertens of Belgium won the Australian Open women's doubles event, BelTA has learned.
The Belarusian-Belgiuan tandem took down the Czech duo of Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova 6-4, 6-3 in an hour and 20 minutes. This is the second Grand Slam doubles title for Aryna Sabalenka and Elise Mertens. In 2019 they won the US Open doubles event. They also registered three victories at other WTA tournaments.
In the men's doubles final the U.S.-UK duo of Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury solved the UK-Brazil tandem of Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares 6-4, 7-6 (7-2).
The winners of the 2021 Australian Open doubles events earned $465.500 (per each duo).
On 19 February, Russia's world number 4 Daniil Medvedev will face Greece's world number 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas for the final spot in the men's singles event. Eight-time winner of the Australian Open, world number one Novak Djokovic has already booked his final spot ousting Russia's world number 114 Aslan Karatsev 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinal.
On 20 February, Japan's world number 3 Naomi Osaka will face world number 24 Jennifer Brady of the United States in the women's singles event. Naomi Osaka will make her second Australian Open final appearance. She won the event in 2019. Her rival has reached the Grand Slam final for the first time.
The Australian Open is held for its 109th time. The winners of the last year's edition were Sofia Kenin of the United States and Novak Djokovic of Serbia. The 2021 Australian Open money prize is $55.2 million. The men's and women's singles winners will earn $2.1 million each.
