Guadalajara, Mexico, 9 November 2021 | Leigh Rogers

Sam Stosur returns to the tour this week, competing alongside China’s Zhang Shuai at the WTA Finals in Mexico.

Stosur and Zhang were the fifth team to qualify for this year’s season-ending championships. They compiled an 11-2 win-loss record together in 2021, scooping titles at the US Open and Cincinnati.

These efforts helped world No.24 Stosur qualify for the WTA Finals in doubles for the fifth time in her stellar career. The 37-year-old is a two-time champion at the event, having previously claimed the prestigious title alongside American Lisa Raymond in 2005 and 2006.

Sam Stosur’s WTA Finals doubles recordĀ 
Year Partner Result
2005 Lisa Raymond (USA) Champions
2006 Lisa Raymond (USA) Champions
2009 Rennae Stubbs (AUS) Semifinals
2019 Zhang Shuai (CHN) Semifinals
2021 Zhang Shuai (CHN) TBC

Stosur has also competed at the WTA Finals in singles on three occasions, in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Stosur and Zhang, who were semifinalists at the most recent edition of the WTA Finals in 2019, have landed in the ‘Tenochtitlan Group’ for the round-robin stage of the 2021 tournament.

The top two performing teams in this group advance to knockout semifinals.

Tenochtitlan Group
Seed Team
2 Shuko Aoyama (JPN)/Ena Shibahara (JPN)
4 Demi Schuurs (NED)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA)
5 Sam Stosur (AUS)/Zhang Shuai (CHN)
7 Darija Jurak (CRO)/Andreja Klepac (SLO)

> VIEW: Full WTA Finals draw

https://twitter.com/rennaestubbs/status/1457938308617625600?s=20

The WTA Finals begin in Guadalajara later this week.

World No.1 Ash Barty qualified for the singles competition, where she is the defending champion, but is not competing. The 25-year-old withdrew from the tournament last month, choosing to focus on preparing for the Australian summer.

> READ: Barty sets sights on 2022 season