Safarova teams up with Mattek-Sands to win women’s doubles crown
PARIS: Lucie Safarova made sure she left Roland Garros with at least one winner’s trophy after the Czech left-hander and Bethanie Mattek-Sands won the women’s doubles title on Sunday.
Less than 24 hours after losing to Serena Williams in the singles final, Czech Safarova and American Mattek-Sands beat Casey Dellacqua and Yaroslava Shvedova 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 in front of a sparse crowd on Philippe Chatrier Court.
It was their second successive major title following success at the Australian Open in January.
On Saturday, Croatia’s Ivan Dodig and Brazilian Marcelo Melo clinched their maiden grand slam title by defeating brothers Bob and Mike Bryan 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 7-5 in the French Open doubles final.
Cheered on by triple Roland Garros champion and compatriot Gustavo Kuerten, Melo ended a tight contest with a splendid half volley to deny the American Bryan brothers their 17th major.
Dodig becomes the first Croatian to win a title at the French Open while Melo is only the second Brazilian to triumph on the Paris clay after Kuerten’s success in 1997, 2000 and 2001.
Dodig and Melo lost the 2013 Wimbledon final against the Bryan brothers.
The top-seeded Americans got off to a solid start and claimed the first set on a tiebreak only for their thirdseeded opponents to level in the same fashion. Dodig and Melo then broke decisively in the 11th game of the decider and closed the match out to claim the trophy.