Elise Mertens celebrated a landmark moment in her doubles career with a title-winning performance at Melbourne Park, lifting the Australian Open trophy alongside China’s Zhang Shuai in a hard-fought final on Saturday.
The Belgian-Chinese pair showed resilience under pressure to overcome Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic in straight sets, prevailing 7-6(4), 6-4 after a match filled with momentum shifts and tense exchanges.
Mertens and Zhang found themselves on the back foot early in the opening set, slipping behind 0-3 and later 1-4. However, their composure at crucial moments helped them claw back, forcing a tiebreak which they controlled to take the set. The second set appeared one-sided when the champions surged to a commanding 5-0 lead, but Danilina and Krunic mounted a late comeback, winning four consecutive games before Mertens and Zhang closed out the contest.
The triumph carries added significance for Mertens, who will reclaim the women’s doubles world No. 1 ranking following the tournament. Currently ranked sixth, the Belgian was assured of returning to the top spot regardless of the final’s outcome. The achievement marks her 40th cumulative week at No. 1 in the doubles rankings.
Saturday’s victory also extended Mertens’ impressive Grand Slam record, earning her sixth major doubles title. Two of those have come at the Australian Open, with previous successes at Melbourne Park in 2021 and 2024. She also claimed the Wimbledon doubles title last year alongside Veronika Kudermetova, further underlining her consistency at the highest level.
Mertens and Zhang had previously reached the Wimbledon final together in 2022, while their opponents Danilina and Krunic were runners-up at the French Open last season, setting the stage for a high-quality championship clash.
Earlier in the week, the mixed doubles final saw home favourites Olivia Gadecki and John Peers make history, becoming the first team since 1989 to defend the title. The Australian duo fought back to defeat France’s Kristina Mladenovic and Manuel Guinard 4-6, 6-3, 10-8 in a thrilling encounter on Friday.
With another Grand Slam trophy secured and the world No. 1 ranking within reach, Mertens’ latest triumph reinforces her status as one of the most accomplished doubles players of her generation.
