The Australian Open doubles tournament is heating up, with three pairs already securing their spots in the semifinals. The defending champions, Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, were surprisingly knocked out by the seventh-seeded pair of Aleksandra Krunić and Anna Danilina. Krunić and Danilina's dominance continued with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-0 victory, showcasing their strong performance in the third set. They previously faced Siniakova and Townsend in the Roland Garros quarterfinals last year, ultimately reaching the final. Now, they await their next challenge, a match against Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani. Dabrowski and Stefani, who recently rekindled their doubles partnership, defeated Hsieh Su-wei and Jelena Ostapenko in a thrilling 6-1, 7-6 (5) match. This marks a successful start to their renewed collaboration. The highest-seeded pair remaining is Elise Mertens and Zhang Shuai, who defeated Wu Fang-Hsien and Eri Hozumi in a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 quarterfinal match. Mertens, a two-time WTA Finals doubles champion, and Zhang, both top 15 players in the PIF WTA Rankings, showcased their power with five aces and four breaks. The doubles draw is narrowing down, with the Aussie fan favorites, Talia Gibson and Kim Birrell, facing Vera Zvonareva and Ena Shibahara for the final semifinal spot. The tournament promises an exciting conclusion as these pairs battle for the coveted title.
