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Ellen Perez and Storm Hunter, who are close friends and Australian team-mates, play each other in a WTA 1000 doubles final in Dubai.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 23 February 2024 | Leigh Rogers
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Two Australians are set to clash in a WTA 1000 doubles final, which are the tour’s biggest events outside the four Grand Slams, for the first time since their introduction in 2009.
World No.3 Storm Hunter and world No.15 Ellen Perez have advanced to this year’s championship match in Dubai alongside their respective partners.
Hunter and Czech Katerina Siniakova secured their spot in the final with a 6-4 6-4 victory against reigning US Open champions, world No.5 Gabriela Dabrowski and world No.6 Erin Routliffe, in the semifinals.
Contesting their fourth tournament as a team, this propels 29-year-old Hunter and Siniakova into their third final together.
Perez and American Nicole Melichar-Martinez needed only 62 minutes to dismiss German Laura Siegemund and Aliaksandra Sasnovich in their semifinal, romping to a 6-3 6-2 victory.
This propels the third-seeded pair into their fourth team final at WTA 1000 level.
It is the second WTA final appearance of the season for 28-year-old Perez and Melichar-Martinez, who are looking to snap a seven-match losing streak in finals.
The last time two Australians met in a WTA doubles final, at any level, was in February 2020 when Hunter (then using her maiden name Sanders) and Arina Rodionova defeated Perez and her Austrian partner Barbara Haas to claim the Hua Hin title.
Aussies in action – Dubai
RESULTS
Women’s doubles, semifinals
[3] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) d Aliaksandra Sasnovich/Laura Siegemund (GER) 6-3 6-2
[4] Storm Hunter (AUS)/Katerina Siniakova (CZE) d [2] Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN)/Erin Routliffe (NZL) 6-4 6-4
COMING UP
Women’s doubles, final
[3] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) v [4] Storm Hunter (AUS)/Katerina Siniakova (CZE)
Doha, Qatar
Alexei Popyrin’s deepest run at an ATP hard-court event in three years has come to an end.
The 24-year-old Australian was unable to capitalise on an early lead in his semifinal showdown with world No.17 Karen Khachanov at an ATP 250 tournament in Doha.
Popyrin established a 4-2 advantage in the opening set, then held three set points in a high-pressure tiebreak.
However, Khachanov fought back to notch a 7-6(12) 6-2 victory against the world No.46.
Meanwhile, John-Patrick Smith fell just short in his quest to progress to a first ATP-level doubles final since January 2022.
Smith and his German partner Andrea Mies were edged out in a three-set semifinal battle against Lorenzo Musetti and Lorenzo Sonego, with the Italian duo triumphing 6-2 6-7(4) [10-7].
Aussies in action – Doha
RESULTS
Men’s singles, semifinals
[2] Karen Khachanov d Alexei Popyrin (AUS) 7-6(12) 6-2
Men’s doubles, semifinals
Lorenzo Musetti (ITA)/Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) d [Alt] John-Patrick Smith (AUS)/Andreas Mies (GER) 6-2 6-7(4) [10-7]
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