US Open: China No 1 Zhang Shuai and Samantha Stosur crowned doubles champs
- Second slam win for 2019 Australian Open winners as veterans see off US teenagers Coco Gauff and Caty McNally
- ‘We will play together more,’ says Zhang, after they extend winning run to 11 matches and two wins from two slam finals
Zhang, 32, and 37-year-old Stosur won in three sets – 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 – to lift the trophy two years after they won the women’s doubles at the Australian Open.
This is their second grand slam victory as a pair, with Stosur a doubles champion in New York in 2005 and a singles winner in 2011.
The Chinese-Australian pair’s previous best at Flushing Meadows was when they reached the semis at the 2018 US Open but they came into this year’s tournament on the back of winning the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati after reuniting.
They extended their winning run to 11 matches, though the No 14 seeds did not have it all their own way as they dropped their first set of the tournament in New York when No 11 seeds Gauff and McNally bounced back with victory in the second set.
“It was just such a tight tussle the whole match, a few points here and there. We stuck together as a team, played aggressive, went for it as we always do, and it pays off,” Stosur said after the win.
“For us, this was our second grand slam final together. I’ve been in a few more. It’s kind of like, ‘All right, I’ve done this a few more times than you, so I’ve got to try to use everything I’ve got.’”
Gauff praised the winners, despite disappointment in the first slam final for her and fellow 19-year-old McNally.
“Obviously, not the result that we wanted, but we were there. I think the match was decided within, like, three or four points. I think for next time we know how to do better on those points,” Gauff said.
“Our opponents, Shuai and Sam, played a great match. There’s a reason why they’ve both had a couple grand slams, great results in grand slams.”
With the team 2-0 in slam finals and the form duo on tour after missing out on playing together for all of 2020, Zhang hinted that there is more to come from the veteran pair.
“We are so good friends, forever,” Zhang said. “When we’re on court, no matter [if] we win or lose – yes, today we won – but some days we lost, it’s OK. We’re still happy on court. Now nothing can break us, I think. We will for sure play together more.”
Zhang was the only player from China in any of the main draws at the final grand slam of the year after her compatriots chose to play in the National Games instead. Zhang said it wasn’t an easy decision.
“For sure it was not easy [to choose to play the US Open instead]. Never easy,” she said. “I am really proud that I keep playing with Sam. Sam always takes care [of] me. We are so happy we won. This means so much.”
China’s Shang Juncheng, the boys world No 1 and top seed, lost in the boys final to Spain’s No 3 seed Daniel Rincon.
