Australian Open: Mattek-Sands and Safarova claim women's doubles title

Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States and Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic celebrate winning their final doubles match against Yung-Jan Chan of Chinese Taipei and Jie Zheng of China. Photograph: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

American Bethanie Mattek-Sands and her Czech partner Lucie Safarova won their first Grand Slam women's doubles titles at the Australian Open on Friday with a 6-4, 7-6(5) victory over China's Zheng Jie and Taiwan's Chan Yung-jan.

The unseeded Mattek-Sands and Safarova beat five seeded pairings to win the title on Rod Laver Arena, the first of the titles to be decided at this year's Australian Open.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States and Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic hold the trophy after winning their final doubles match against Yung-Jan Chan of Chinese Taipei and Jie Zheng of China. Photograph: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

It was also the first time the 29-year-old Mattek-Sands and 27-year-old Safarova played together in a tournament, and they are the first new pairing to win the women's doubles title at Melbourne Park since 2005.

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Mattek-Sands won the mixed doubles title at Melbourne Park with Romania's Horia Tecau in 2012.

The victory makes up for a disappointing singles campaign for Safarova, who entered the season opening Grand Slam as the 16th seed but lost in the first round to Yaroslava Shvedova.

Mattek-Sands made the third round of the singles, losing to third seed Simona Halep.

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