MELBOURNE – In a thrilling finale at the Australian Open 2026, Belgium’s Elise Mertens and China’s Zhang Shuai captured the women’s doubles title with a hard-fought 7-6(4), 6-4 victory over Anna Danilina and Alexandra Krunic. The fourth-seeded duo staged a remarkable comeback in the first set, erasing a 4-1 deficit to dominate the tiebreak and seal the opener. They carried that momentum into the second set, surging to a 5-0 lead before fending off two championship points at 5-2 to claim the championship.
This triumph marks a stunning reunion for Mertens and Zhang, who last paired up for a Grand Slam at Wimbledon 2022. Their seamless chemistry shone through after a long hiatus, propelling them to glory on Melbourne’s hard courts. For Mertens, it’s her sixth Grand Slam doubles title, with three now coming Down Under. Zhang adds a third major trophy to her collection, following wins at the 2019 Australian Open and 2021 US Open alongside Samantha Stosur.
Mertens has now won a doubles Grand Slam every year for the past three seasons, cementing her status as a doubles powerhouse. Currently ranked World No. 6, she’s poised to reclaim the top spot next week, marking her 40th week at No. 1. The victory underscores her dominance and sets the stage for more big titles ahead.
Meanwhile, in men’s doubles, Australian wildcards Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans are gearing up for their final showdown. Over in mixed doubles, Olivia Gadecki and John Peers made history by defending their title for a second straight year, thrilling home crowds.