Champions. Strycova and Hsieh

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[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-microphone”] Match Recap from Announcer Andy Taylor, Voice of the Qatar Total Open

Barbora Strycova and Su-wei Hsieh capture the 2020 Doha Doubles Title

17-1. Barbora Strycova and Su-wei Hsieh have played 18 matches together since their season began in Brisbane. Their only loss came in the championship match of the Australian Open. As the reigning Wimbledon Champions, Melbourne marked their second Major Final. Now with 3 titles in the first two months of the new season (Brisbane, Dubai and Doha), the pair has become the tandem to beat in 2020.

They’re the first team to win the Arabian Gulf “double” since Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond in 2012. And on Monday, Su-wei Hsieh will reclaim the World #1 ranking.

At first, tonight’s match was a bloodbath. Dabrowski and Ostapenko – Doha Champions in 2018 – opened with a break and a hold, but lost 9 consecutive games to fall behind a set and a break. Gabriela finally got them back on the board with a hold, before the tandem earned 3 breaks to force a championship tiebreak.

Undeterred, and fresh off winning the title in Dubai just a week before, Strycova and Hsieh dominated the deciding tiebreak to earn the win.

A Doha milestone for Su-wei Hsieh

Hsieh is now one of only 7 players who owns two Qatar Total Open Doubles titles. In 2014, she and Shaui Peng defeated Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik — and with the victory became the top tandem on Tour. It was a huge moment. At the time, Peng became the first player from China, male or female, to attain the World #1 ranking. Hsieh made her debut as World #2.

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[1] Barbora Strycova -04- (CZE) / Su-wei Hsieh -02- (TPE) | Championship Announcer Introduction

The top-seeds here in Doha – these two former World #1’s have clearly earned the distinction. They are the reigning Wimbledon Champions, and have reached four consecutive Finals since the season began. Week-1, they captured the title in Brisbane. In Melbourne, they reached their second Grand Slam Final together at the Australian Open. And Saturday night, they defended their Doubles title in Dubai. With 7 titles together over the past two years, tonight marks their 10th Final as a team. (In their first event together, they won the 2018 Doubles title at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells)

She is a Grand Slam Champion, an Olympic Bronze Medalist, a 6-time Fed Cup Champion, and has amassed 29 Doubles titles since 2005. Competing in her 49th career Final. From the Czech Republic – please welcome World #4 Barbora Strycova.

Her partner captured the Doha Doubles title here in 2014 with partner Peng Shuai. She is a 3-time Grand Slam Champion, at WTA Finals Doubles Champion, and owns 26 career Doubles titles in all. Tonight is her 41st career Final. From Chinese Taipei, please welcome World #2 Hsieh Su-wei.

• FF — W | [6] Jelena Ostpenko -23- (LAT) / Gabriela Dabrowski -07- (CAN) | Score: 6-2 5-7 10-2
• SF — W | [4] Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) / Katerina Siniakova (CZE) | Score: 6-4, 4-6 12-10
• QF — W | Belinda Bencic (SUI) / Sofia Kenin (USA) | Score: 6-4, 6-2
• R2 — W | Lyudmyla Kichenok (UKR) / Nadiia Kichenok (UKR) | Score: 6-2, 6-2
• R1 — BYE

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[6] Jelena Ostpenko -23- (LAT) / Gabriela Dabrowski -07- (CAN) | Championship Announcer Introduction

This tandem has won 9 consecutive matches in Doha, and remain undefeated in Qatar. 2-years-ago, they captured the 2018 Doha Doubles title with a straight-sets victory over Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and Andreja Klepac. And yesterday, in an exciting match tiebreak – they took-out reigning Australian Open Champions Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic to return to the Final.

In 2016, at just 18-years-old, she reached her first Premier-5 Singles Final right here in Doha. A year later, she captured her first Grand Slam Singles title at the French Open. In Doubles, she now owns 3 WTA titles – and last July, reached her first Grand Slam Mixed Doubles Final at Wimbledon. From Latvia, please welcome Jelena Ostapenko.

Her partner is back Doha with a career-high ranking of World #7. She’s a Wimbedon Finalist, a 2-time Grand Slam Mixed Doubles Champion, owns 9 WTA Doubles titles – and last month, launched the new season with a Finalist run in Adelaide. Tonight, marks her 18th career Final on Tour. From Canada, please welcome back Gabriela Dabrowski.

• FF — L | [1] Barbora Strycova -04- (CZE) / Su-wei Hsieh -02- (TPE) | Score: 2-6 7-5 2-10
• SF — W | [2] Timea Babos (HUN) / Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) | Score: 6-4, 1-6 10-7
• QF — W | [3] Elise Mertens (BEL) / Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) | Score: 4-6, 6-1 10-4
• R2 — W | Ekaterina Alexandrova (RUS) / Anna Blinkova (RUS) | Score: 6-2, 6-3
• R1 — W | Kaitlyn Christian (USA) / Oksana Kalashnikova (GEO) | Score: 6-2, 6-2