No 4 seeds Elise Mertens of Belgium and Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus inched past No 8 seeds Victoria Azarenka and Ashleigh Barty in straight sets to clinch their maiden Grand Slam title at the women’s doubles of the 2019 US Open.
The No 4 seeded pair, who collected titles in Indian Wells and Miami earlier this season, including a win over Azarenka and Barty in the Miami semifinals, once again defeated the pair with a 7-5, 7-5 margin.
“First time we played against them in Miami, I think, like the first three games was something crazy because Elise was telling me, ‘Just cool down a little bit,'” the WTA website quoted Sabalenka. “This time, I was just trying to focus on each point and try to bring my best on the court. I think it was a crazy good match today. Great level, good atmosphere.”
Meanwhile her companion Mertens said, “I think from the start of the season, start of the year actually, well, we were, like, We’re going to play together
“We didn’t think we would achieve this big thing. Really happy about it and I think we are growing as two doubles players playing together.”
Earlier, Britain’s Jamie Murray won a US Open title for the fourth successive year with a straight-sets triumph in the mixed doubles alongside American Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
The pair defended their title with a 6-2, 6-3 win over top seeds Chan Hao-ching and Michael Venus at the Flushing Meadows.
(With inputs from IANS)