Melbourne, Australia, 24 January 2022 | Leigh Rogers

Storm Sanders has continued her career-best Australian Open run, advancing to the women’s doubles quarterfinals for the first time.

The 27-year-old Australian and her American partner Caroline Dolehide recorded a 6-4 6-4 victory against Ukrainian duo Marta Kostyuk and Dayana Yastremska in third-round action at Margaret Court Arena today.

“This is absolutely unreal,” Sanders beamed after the match.

“There was such a great atmosphere today. Being into the quarters is a career-best for me here at home and we want to keep going.”

There was only a single break in a tight opening set, with Sanders and Dolehide striking in the 10th game to clinch it 6-4.

The 19-year-old Kostyuk and 21-year-old Yastremska had their chances, but were unable to convert any of the five break points they earned.

The Ukrainians finally secured a break, on their 10th opportunity, to edge ahead 3-2 in the second set.

However, world No.27 Sanders and world No.26 Dolehide immediately broke back.

Claiming four of the final five games, the No.9 seeds sealed victory after one hour and 48 minutes on court.

“We weren’t playing our best tennis out here, so mentally we just had to really focus on every point,” Dolehide said.

“At the end, I kept my head down and did what I had to do on my serve and Storm helped me out at the net.

“That’s what makes us so good together. We prop each other up and no matter how we are playing, we always bounce back.”

Sanders is making her 10th appearance in an Australian Open women’s doubles draw and had never previously progressed beyond the second round.

Yet with three wins so far at Australian Open 2022, Sanders and Dolehide are proving title contenders.

This is the third consecutive Grand Slam tournament that the duo have progressed to the women’s doubles quarterfinals, having made the Wimbledon semifinals last year and also the final eight at the US Open.

“I love playing with Caro. We had some really good success last year and it’s good to continue that partnership,” Sanders said.

“We’re obviously trying to win, but we like to have fun as well.”

Top-seeded Czechs Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova, the reigning Roland Garros and Olympic champions, await in the quarterfinals.

In men’s doubles action today, Aussie duo Matt Ebden and Max Purcell scored a third-round win against No.13 seeds South African Raven Klaasen and Japan’s Ben McLachlan.

> READ: Ebden and Purcell power into AO 2022 quarterfinals

Australian Open 2022

TODAY’S RESULTS
Women’s doubles, third round
[9] Storm Sanders (AUS)/Caroline Dolehide (USA) d Marta Kostyuk (UKR)/Dayana Yastremska (UKR) 6-4 6-4

Men’s doubles, third round
Matt Ebden (AUS)/Max Purcell (AUS) d [13] Raven Klaasen (RSA)/Ben McLachlan (JPN) 7-6(3) 6-3
[2] Rajeev Ram (USA)/Joe Salisbury (GBR) d [WC] Dane Sweeny (AUS)/Li Tu (AUS) 6-4 6-4

Mixed doubles, second round
[2] Zhang Shuai (CHN)/John Peers (AUS) d Bernarda Pera (USA)/Wesley Koolhof (NED) 7-5 6-3
[WC] Jaimee Fourlis (AUS)/Jason Kubler (AUS) d [WC] Sam Stosur (AUS)/Matt Ebden (AUS) 3-6 7-5 [11-9]

COMING UP
Women’s doubles, quarterfinals
[9] Storm Sanders (AUS)/Caroline Dolehide (USA) v [1] Barbora Krejcikova (CZE)/Katerina Siniakova (CZE)

> VIEW: Australian Open 2022 women’s doubles draw

Men’s doubles, quarterfinals
[5] John Peers (AUS)/Filip Polasek (SVK) v [3] Marcel Granollers (ESP)/Horacio Zeballos (ARG)
[WC] Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS)/Nick Kyrgios (AUS) v [6] Tim Puetz (GER)/Michael Venus (NZL)
Matt Ebden (AUS)/Max Purcell (AUS) v [10] Wesley Koolhof (NED)/Neal Skupski (GBR)

> VIEW: Australian Open 2022 men’s doubles draw

Mixed doubles, quarterfinals
[2] Zhang Shuai (CHN)/John Peers (AUS) v [8] Ena Shibahara (JPN)/Ben McLachlan (JPN)
[WC] Jaimee Fourlis (AUS)/Jason Kubler (AUS) v Sania Mirza (IND)/Rajeev Ram (USA)

> VIEW: Australian Open 2022 mixed doubles draw

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