Top ranked team formed by Hsieh Su-wei and Barbora Strycova lead the women’s doubles draw at the Australian Open from 8 to 21 February.
Last year Su-wei and Strycova finished runners-up to Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic, who won two Grand Slam titles in 2020 at the Australan Open and at the French Open and will return to Melboune to defend their titles.
The other favourite teams are Aryna Sabalenka and Elise Mertens, who won the 2019 US Open title and the 2020 Ostrava Open, and 2020 US Open champions Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva.
Last year’s Australian Open singles champion Sofia Kenin will partner world number 12 and 2019 US Open semifinalist Belinda Bencic. World singles number 1 and 2019 Roland Garros champion Ashleigh Barty will team up with US Open semifinalist Jennifer Brady.
Sam Stosur and Zhang Shuai will be bidding for their second Australian Open doubles title after their win in 2019. Japanese team formed by Misaki Doi and Nao Hibino have been awarded the Asia-Pacific women’s doubles wildcard.
