Australian Open 2016: Doubles Preview
Action at the Australian Open 2016 is not just restricted to the singles court. There is plenty to look forward to in the doubles. The women’s and men’s doubles events start tomorrow, Wednesday, and India has a strong representation in the arena with World No.1 Sania Mirza, Leander Paes, Rohan Bopanna and Mahesh Bhupathi taking to the court.
Women’s Doubles: Can Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza win their third consecutive slam? http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/draws/wd/wddraw.pdf
The Favorites:
a) No.1 seeds Hingis and Mirza: Team #SanTina is on fire. Their 10-month partnership has brought them titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Charleston, Wimbledon, the US Open, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Beijing and the WTA Finals in Singapore in 2015. In 2016 so far, the Indo-Swiss pair have picked up where they left off, winning back-to-back titles in Brisbane and Sydney. The duo is on a 30-match winning streak, and Mirza’s power combined with Hingis’ finesse is too hot to handle at the moment.
b) No. 2 seeds Yung-Jan Chan and Hao-Ching Chan: Team #Chansis from Chinese Taipei lost in the first round of Brisbane and in the semis of Sydney to start the year, but they were able to win titles in Pattaya City, Tokyo (Japan Open, the International event) and the Premier 5 event in Cincinnati last year. In that Cincinnati run last August, the feisty Chan sisters beat Hingis and Mirza along the way which is the last time #SanTina lost a match. The No. 2 seeds have always played the top seeds tough and will be the strongest challengers for the crown against the World No.1s
Draw Highlights:
a) Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic are projected to meet #SanTina in the semis. The Frenchwomen broke up with their regular partners (Katarina Srebotnik and Timea Babos respectively) at the end of 2015 to unite for a bid at the Rio Olympics. The No. 3 seeds here, they seem to be clicking as they had #SanTina on the ropes in the Sydney final before losing in the match tie-break.
b) The bottom half is a lot more open with the Czech duo of Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka (No. 7 seeds and winners of the 2011 French Open and 2013 US Open) projected to meet the Chan sisters in an intriguing quarterfinal.
Men’s Doubles: With 4 different teams winning the 4 slams in 2015, who will win the men’s doubles trophy at the first slam of 2016? http://www.ausopen.com/en_AU/scores/draws/md/mddraw.pdf
The Favorites:
a) No. 1 seeds Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau: The Dutch-Romanian pair had a great 2015 with titles at Rotterdam, Wimbledon and the ATP World Tour Finals in London.
b) No. 2 seeds Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo: They won Acapulco, the French Open and the Paris Masters last year. And to top it all off, Melo is the current world No. 1.
c) No.3 seeds Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan: They didn’t win a slam last year, and they lost the world No. 1 ranking, but they did win 6 titles and reached the French Open final. Surely the 16-time slam champs can rebound in Melbourne where they won 6 times.
d) No. 4 seeds Rohan Bopanna and Florin Mergea: The Indo-Romanian pair teamed up last April and won titles in Madrid and Stuttgart. They reached the semis of Wimbledon as well as the quarters of the US Open last season. Continuing that good form, they finished the year by reaching the finals of the ATP World Tour Finals in London. The versatile duo is fresh from a runner-up finish in Sydney a few days ago. They should be ready to go.
Draw Highlights:
a) Indian doubles specialists have new partnerships. Paes is teaming up with Jeremy Chardy; the pair recently lost their Sydney-opener. But Paes is so adept at making new partnerships click. Bhupathi and Gilles Muller, coming off a 1st round loss at the Chennai Open, could meet the Bryan brothers in the second round.
b) Solid teams, composed of singles players, have different draw paths. Italian No. 5 seeds and defending champions, Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini, are in the
So which teams do you think are going to win both events? Share your thoughts.
