Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova won the Australian Open women’s doubles title on Friday beating Chan Yung-jan and Zheng Jie 6-4, 7-6 (5).
“Actually, we didn’t even really know which side we were going to play,” Mattek—Sands said. “We started off on the opposite sides, (then) we switched. I think we switched again. It was pretty spur of the moment.”
It marked the first time a new pairing had won a Grand Slam title since Nathalie Dechy of France and Russia’s Dinara Safina captured the 2007 U.S. Open title.
The two came together in the off-season because Safarova’s coach is friends with Mattek-Sands’ husband, Justin.
“I had some partners where it took really a long time to find a good combination and to play well, but I think we pretty much (clicked) right away, we played well,” said Safarova.
Even though they didn’t know each other’s playing styles, they bonded in the locker room over tea each morning.
“We would get our Earl Grey,” Mattek-Sands said.
“Chilling,” Safarova added.
Asked whether she and Safarova had made plans to play again, Mattek-Sands said, “We actually haven’t even talked about it yet.”
Safarova, laughing, responded - “Would you like to play with me?”