The recently-formed pairing of Barbora Krejcikova and Laura Siegemund reached their first final as a team at the Mutua Madrid Open, holding off No.1 seeds Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens 6-3, 7-5 in Friday's semifinals at the WTA 1000 event.
No.6 seeds Krejcikova and Siegemund fended off a last-minute surge by the reigning Australian Open champions Hsieh and Mertens and prevailed in 1 hour and 43 minutes. The victors converted six of their 10 break points to collect the straight-sets win.
Grand Slam doubles champions Krejcikova and Siegemund paired up for the first time at the start of this year, with quick success. Already in 2024, they had made the Adelaide semifinals, the Australian Open quarterfinals and the Stuttgart semifinals.
Krejcikova and Siegemund have eased through the field in this fortnight in Madrid, rolling into their maiden team final without dropping a set.
That is simply sensational ๐@laurasiegemund from downtown Madrid! #MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/DiLSI2E9fy
โ wta (@WTA) May 3, 2024
On Friday, after moving ahead by a set and a break, Siegemund served for the match at 5-3 in the second set. However, current WTA Doubles World No.1 Hsieh slammed an overhead on break point to pull the top seeds back on serve.
But Krejcikova and Siegemund regrouped, and they earned their first match point on Hsieh's serve at 6-5 after a series of strong forehands by Krejcikova. That chance was converted when a powerful return by Siegemund forced a netted error by Mertens, ending the clash.
A chance to WIN it all... ๐๐ญ
โ wta (@WTA) May 3, 2024
[6] @BKrejcikova and @laurasiegemund oust the top seeds Hsieh/Mertens 6-3, 7-5 to reach the doubles final in Madrid! #MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/R1JG0bxObb
Krejcikova and Siegemund will face No.8 seeds Cristina Bucsa and Sara Sorribes Tormo in Sunday's final. Homeland hopes Bucsa and Sorribes Tormo thrilled the Spanish crowds on Friday night with a 6-4, 7-6(1) victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Anastasia Potapova.
Playing together for the very first time, the Spaniards have made a stellar team debut on home soil, culminating in their 1-hour and 43-minute victory over unseeded Pavlyuchenkova and Potapova.
A Cristina Bucsa lob of the highest order ๐ซ#MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/Dj2hjzRcGv
โ wta (@WTA) May 3, 2024
In the first set, each team had the same amount of winners, but Bucsa and Sorribes Tormo's eight unforced errors were half of their opponents' 16. Bucsa and Sorribes Tormo were able to convert one of their six break points while saving the sole break point they faced in the opener.
Bucsa was unable to serve out the match at 6-4, 5-4, with Pavlyuchenkova and Potapova pushing the second set into a critical tiebreak. But strong net play by the Spaniards helped them reach a commanding 6-0 lead in the breaker, and they closed out proceedings on their second match point.
Listen to the crowd ๐๐ช๐ธ๐
โ wta (@WTA) May 3, 2024
No.8 seeds @sara_sorribes and Cristina Bucsa storm into the doubles final on home soil in Madrid!!!#MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/tMbBL3L89l