Stosur, Zhang claim women's doubles title at Australian Open

[January 25, 2019]    By Ian Ransom

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Unseeded pair Sam Stosur and Zhang Shuai defeated second seeds Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic 6-3 6-4 to claim the women's doubles title at the Australian Open on Friday.

Australia's Samantha Stosur and China's Shuai Zhang celebrate with the trophy after winning the final against Hungary's Timea Babos and France's Kristina Mladenovic REUTERS/Aly Song

Australian Stosur, who has a history of suffering attacks of nerves in front of home fans, struggled to serve out the match at Rod Laver Arena and double-faulted on match point.

But she and China's Zhang held on and claimed the win when Hungary's Babos struck long in a baseline duel with Stosur.

Stosur claimed her third Grand Slam doubles title after winning the 2005 U.S. Open and 2006 French Open, while Zhang celebrated her first.

(Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)

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