IMAGE: Australia's Samantha Stosur and China's Shuai Zhang celebrate with the trophy after winning the women's doubles final against Hungary's Timea Babos and France's Kristina Mladenovic on Friday. Photograph: Aly Song/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.
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.
IMAGE: Australia's Samantha Stosur and China's Shuai Zhang in action during their match against Hungary's Timea Babos and France's Kristina Mladenovic. Photograph: Aly Song/Reuters
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 US Open and 2006 French Open, while Zhang celebrated her first.
