Australian women achieve 10-year first in doubles at Indian Wells

Two Australians, Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez, have progressed to the women's doubles quarterfinals at the WTA 1000 tournament in Indian Wells.


Tuesday 12 March 2024
Leigh Rogers
Indian Wells, USA
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - FEBRUARY 24:  Storm Hunter of Australia (R) and Katerina Siniakova of Czech Republic (L) celebrate victory over  Ellen Perez of Australia and Nicole Melichar-Martinez of USA in their Women’s Doubles Final match during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, part of the Hologic WTA Tour at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium on February 24, 2024 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)

For the first time in a decade, multiple Australians have advanced to the women's doubles quarterfinals at Indian Wells.

Storm Hunter and her Czech partner Katerina Siniakova secured their spot with a dominant 6-3 6-0 dismissal of Czech Marie Bouzkova and Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo in second-round action at the WTA 1000 tournament.

The third seeds required only 60 minutes to record victory against world No.18 Bouzkova and world No.32 Sorribes Tormo.

It continues a strong start to the new partnership between world No.3 Hunter and world No.12 Siniakova, improving their season record to 12 wins from their 14 matches together.

They join Ellen Perez and her American partner Nicole Melichar-Martinez, the fourth seeds who are on a six-match winning streak, in the quarterfinals.

This is the highest representation of Australians in the women's doubles quarterfinal line-up in the Californian desert since 2014, when three players (Ash Barty, Casey Dellacqua and Sam Stosur) progressed to this stage.

Aussies in action - Indian Wells

RESULTS
Women's doubles, second round
[3] Storm Hunter (AUS)/Katerina Siniakova (CZE) d Marie Bouzkova (CZE)/Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) 6-3 6-0

Men's doubles, second round
Nathaniel Lammons (USA)/Jackson Withrow (USA) d [Alt] John Peers (AUS)/Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) 6-3 6-3

COMING UP
Men's singles, fourth round
[10] Alex de Minaur (AUS) v [6] Alexander Zverev (GER)

Women's doubles, quarterfinals
[3] Storm Hunter (AUS)/Katerina Siniakova (CZE) v [7] Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA)/Taylor Townsend (USA)
[4] Ellen Perez (AUS)
/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) v [8] Lyudmyla Kichenok (UKR)/Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)

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