Number 8 seeds and Wimbledon champions Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend beat Melichar Martinez and Ellen Perez 6-2 6-2 in their first head-to-head match in just 68 minutes to take a 2-0 lead in in the Green Group of the doubles tournament at the WTA Finals in Riyadh.
Siniakova and Townsend will go into Wednesday’s final round robin match at the top of the Green Group Standings.
Townsend was the only player on court who did not drop serve. She saved both of the break points she faced in the second set. The US player pulled a series of backhand volleys. Nine-time Grand Slam doubles champion Siniakova hit a forehand slice winner at the start of the second se. Townsend and Siniakova hit 16 winners to 12 unforced errors. They earned the first break in the first game when Perez committed the first double fault. Perez and Melichar Martinez broke back in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Townsend and Siniakova broke twice in the fifth and seventh games to win the first set 6-2.
Townsend and Siniakova broke twice in the third and fifth games to win the second set 6-2.
“I thought we came out very clear with our game plan. The first match really helped us shake out the nerves. We trusted in ourselves and it shows”, said Townsend after the match.
