Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnin won the double title at the WTA Mandatory Event in Madrid. In a thriller, the two players beat Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic.
The women’s double final was the expected tight match that emerged over the past tournament week.
Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina from Russia are among the top stars of the double scene anyway – Kristina Mladenovic and Timea Babos are well on their way there. And the reigning Australian Open winners got off to a brilliant start.
The Franco-Hungarian couple managed three breaks and the first set went clearly 6-2 to Mladenovic and Babos. A déjà vu was in the air: Already in the Melbourne finale (6:4 and 6:3, editor’s note) the two doubles faced each other – with the better end for “Kiki” and Babos.
Here the draw of the ladies at the Masters in Rome – Kerber meets Makarova
This time, however, the Russian doubles team should not admit defeat. Makarova and Vesnina fought their way back into the match in the second set and equalled each other 6:4 despite two breaks. The match tiebreak should bring the decision in Madrid.
The spectators got to see doubles of the extra class, which could not be surpassed in tension. Impact losses on both sides repeatedly opened up opportunities for the final punch. Makarova and Vesnina won in the end with a very close 10:8 and were able to return the loss down under.