Top seeds book Barty/Bertens final showdown


Saturday 11 January 2020
SU-WEI HSIEH (TPE) 
BARBORA STRYCOVA (CZE)

2020 BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL, PAT RAFTER ARENA, BRISBANE TENNIS CENTRE, BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA



© TENNIS PHOTO NETWORK

Top seeds Hsieh Su-Wei and Barbora Strycova will face Ashleigh Barty and Kiki Bertens for the Brisbane International doubles title on Sunday.

The reigning Wimbledon champions overcame a blistering start from unseeded Yang Zhaoxuan and Lyudmyla Kichenok to advance 7-6(3) 6-3.

This was the first event together for Kichenok - a winner of four WTA Tour doubles titles with twin sister Nadiia - and Yang, of China.

Our doubles final is set!

Barty/Bertens vs. 1️⃣ Hsieh/Strycova on Sunday#BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/rgq6iH7UGM


- #BrisbaneTennis (@BrisbaneTennis)
target="_blank">January 11, 2020

The 24-year-old Yang also had four tour titles to her name and it was she and Kichenok who made the quicker start as they raced to a 5-2 opening-set lead.

Serving for the opening set, Kichenok was broken when Hsieh's double-handed forehand drew the volleying error from Yang.

The top seeds lifted when it mattered most, quickly jumping to a 5-0 lead in the tie-break and back-to-back volley winners from Strycova snared the set.

In a far more routine second set, the Czech served out the result with a love hold after one hour and 31 minutes.

Barty and Bertens were handed a walkover into the final when Kristina Mladenovic - who had teamed with Ajla Tomljanovic - withdrew.