Stosur, Zhang claim women’s doubles title at Australian Open

MELBOURNE (Reuters): 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 on Friday.

Australian Stosur, who has a history of suffering attacks of nerves in front of home fans, struggled to serve out the match at 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.