At Melbourne Park on Wednesday, China's Zhang Shuai and Belgium's Elise Mertens delivered a dominant performance to book their spot in the second round of the women's doubles at the 2026 Australian Open. The duo outclassed Romania's Sorana Cirstea and Russia's Anna Kalinskaya 6-4, 6-2 in a display of precision and teamwork.
The momentum shifted in the third game of the first set when Zhang and Mertens broke serve, and they maintained that edge to clinch the set 6-4. The second set saw Cirstea and Kalinskaya adopt an aggressive net strategy, racing to a 2-0 lead, but Zhang and Mertens quickly fought back. With seamless volleys and strategic poaching, they turned the match around and closed out the set 6-2, converting both break points and showcasing their on-court chemistry.
Not to be outdone, another pair from the Chinese mainland made headlines later in the day. Xu Yifan and Yang Zhaoxuan cruised past Croatia's Antonia Ruzic and Mexico's Renata Zarazua 6-4, 6-2. The Chinese duo established an early 3-1 advantage in the first set and never looked back, then surged to a commanding 4-0 lead in the second before sealing their straight-sets victory.
These back-to-back wins highlight the growing depth of women's doubles talent, with two pairs now safely through to round two. Fans can expect more high-octane action as the tournament progresses, with both teams aiming for a deep run in one of the year's first Grand Slams.
Reference(s):
Zhang, Mertens pick up women's doubles victory at Australian Open
cgtn.com
