TORONTO, Canada -- Top seeds Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova eased to their first title as a pairing of 2019 with a 7-5, 6-0 victory over No.3 seeds Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Demi Schuurs in the Rogers Cup doubles final on Sunday.
"It's really nice to have a title," Siniakova said in their post-match press conference. "We had a few finals and finally we could reach the title. So it was a really good week for us."
"I think we played good matches, and we are so happy that we won the title," Siniakova continued. "Hopefully the next weeks we can show even better tennis."
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The 23-year-old Czechs, who finished last year as the World No.1 doubles team after winning both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, had only reached one final this season together prior to the Rogers Cup. However, the long-time doubles partners, who were also Grand Slam-winning sensations as juniors, capped off the title run with a commanding 65-minute victory to triumph in Toronto.
"I think we have a really good communication together on court," Krejcikova contributed. "It's helping a lot because we speak the same language. We know each other for a long time, so I think that this really helps a lot. We know what is each of us doing. I think it's what make us a good doubles team."
It is Siniakova's second doubles title of 2019, as she won the title in Sydney earlier this season while partnering Aleksandra Krunic. Krejcikova won her first title of the season in Toronto.
Your @rogerscup doubles champions - @B_Krejcikova and @K_Siniakova!
The top seeds beat Groenefeld and Schuurs 7-5, 6-0 in Toronto!#RC19 pic.twitter.com/zhZDnYmlhg— WTA (@WTA) August 11, 2019
Schuurs had won the Rogers Cup title last year alongside Ashleigh Barty, but after a competitive first set, she and Groenefeld were overwhelmed by the Czechs, who used pristine play in the forecourt to achieve the second-set bagel.
Krejcikova and Siniakova broke their opponents six times out of their nine break points in the encounter, and claimed 81 percent of points when returning second serves throughout the final. The Czechs had 14 winners to 13 unforced errors, while Groenefeld and Schuurs's 12 winners were undone by their 18 unforced errors.
Groenefeld was broken in the first game of the match, but she and Schuurs were able to pull level at 3-3, after Krejickova fired three double faults in a single game to drop serve. However, the Czechs immediately regained their break advantage, using sturdy net play to break Schuurs at love and go up 4-3.
Serving for the set at 5-4, Krejickova jumped to 30-0 but then struggled on serve once more, losing three points in a row to give Groenefeld and Schuurs break point. A powerful backhand by Groenefeld forced Krejcikova to scurry across court for a reply, eventually firing an error wide, and the match was deadlocked again at 5-5.
But the Czechs were undeterred, and reached triple break point in the next game with a strong service return by Krejcikova. Siniakova converted the first break point with a stirring return of her own, and the top seeds led 6-5. Siniakova refused to yield in the next game, holding at love to clinch the one-set lead.
"It was tough to close it," Siniakova admitted. "So I think it's good we kept fighting and finished the set, because it helped us. I think it was much better to have a set up. We tried to go to court and play aggressive, stay and play our game. And I think from the beginning we gave them the pressure."
The stellar volleying by the Czechs continued as the second set opened, and they broke Groenefeld in the opening game once more. This time, the No.1 seeds would not let up from there, and they claimed the final eight games of the match to hoist the trophy in Toronto.
"Next week is Cincinnati," Krejcikova stated. "We'll be playing there too, and we're going to do our best to try to win the tournament again. And then after is US Open, and then is the Asian swing and everything. So, I think we go just tournament by tournament, you know, match by match. And, yeah, we try our best, and we see where we can get."