Kristina Mladenovic and Timea Babos are champions for a second time at Melbourne Park after reclaiming the Australian Open women’s doubles trophy they landed two years ago on Friday.
In a repeat of the season-ending WTA Finals, the No.2 seeds’ heavy shot-making proved too much for top seeds Hsieh Su-Wei and Barbora Strycova in a 6-2 6-1 trouncing.
Under a closed Rod Laver Arena roof, the Franco-Hungarian pair clinched their third Grand Slam doubles title together, having also triumphed at Roland-Garros last year.
It marked their third straight final together at Melbourne Park, following a defeat to Samantha Stosur and Zhang Shuai in last year’s title match.
“I want to congratulate you girls for this tournament, you had an amazing run,” Mladenovic said to the No.1 seeds.
“I would like to thank the most important person on the court, Timea, my doubles partner, but she is way more than that … without her probably I wouldn’t be standing here today.
“I really love Australia. Maybe some of you hate me because … we won Fed Cup here a couple of months ago.
“We love playing here, I love coming back playing in front of you.”
Babos admitted the pair’s performance in Australia improved with each year. It was the Grand Slam they had taste more success as a tandem than any other.
“What a journey we have here,” Babos said.
“It’s our third consecutive final, second title here.
“There’s something about Australia, something about this court we really love and we just love coming back each year.”
Hsieh and Strycova had beaten the No.2 seeds in the semifinals on their way to a maiden Wimbledon title as a team last year but on Friday, they were no match for their familiar foes.
After trading early breaks, Mladenovic served for the opening set at 5-2. She missed a swinging forehand volley on her first chance before seizing the advantage when Strycova pushed wide.
There was a scream from Babos as the duo broke early in the second set and from there, they never surrendered their grip on the match as they raced to 5-1 in the second set.
Babos crushed a forehand winner to bring up two match points and Mladenovic followed suit, thumping a backhand down the line to seal the result.
Babos and Mladenovic became the first duo to win the Australian Open without conceding a set since 2004, when Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suarez triumphed.
It was the first meeting of the top two seeded teams in an Australian Open women's doubles final since 2010.
The 33-year-old Strycova, who had earlier indicated this would likely be her final year on tour, recalled a near two-decade run playing at Melbourne Park.
“It has been 18 years ago when I was standing on I think Court No.7 when I was playing junior finals and here I am still,” she said.
“I really love coming here to Australia, you are one of the most amazing countries for me and you guys are so incredible and for me something really special.”
Earlier, Croatian Nikola Mektic and one-half of the defending champions, Czech Barbora Krejcikova, won through to the mixed doubles final. The No.5 seeds beat third seeds Gabriella Dabrowski and Henri Kontinen 3-6 6-3 10-5.
They will meet the highly experienced, but unseeded pairing of Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jamie Murray for the title. The reigning US Open champions ended home hopes with a 6-3 7-6(4) triumph over last year’s finalists Astra Sharm and John-Patrick Smith.