Indian Wells, USA, 15 March 2024 | Leigh Rogers

Storm Hunter has become the first Australian in 14 years to advance to the Indian Wells women’s doubles final.

The 29-year-old Hunter and her Czech partner Katerina Siniakova secured their place in the championship match with a 6-4 6-4 victory today against American Asia Muhammad and Japan’s Ena Shibahara.

It is the third seed’s fourth consecutive straight-sets win this tournament and sets up a final showdown with the top seeds, Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Su-wei and Belgian Elise Mertens.

This is a rematch of the Australian Open 2024 semifinals earlier this year, where Mertens and Hsieh won a high-quality three-set battle.

World No.1 Mertens and world No.2 Hsieh ended the winning run of Australian Ellen Perez and American Nicole Melichar-Martinez in the other semifinal today, scoring a 6-2 7-6(5) victory.

As well as competing for a WTA 1000 title in the Californian desert, the world No.1 ranking is now up for grabs in a high-stakes final.

Mertens is set to lose the world No.1 ranking regardless, as 38-year-old Hsieh will reclaim the top ranking for the first time since November 2021 should they secure the title.

But if Hunter wins the title, she is set to rise from world No.3 to overtake Mertens, her former partner, atop of the WTA Tour doubles rankings.

Hunter also has the chance to become the first Australian to win an Indian Wells women’s doubles title since Sam Stosur in 2007.

Stosur was also the most recent Aussie finalist at the tournament in 2010.

The women’s doubles final is scheduled to be played on Sunday morning (Australian time).

Aussies in action – Indian Wells

RESULTS
Women’s doubles, semifinals
[3] Storm Hunter (AUS)/Katerina Siniakova (CZE) d Asia Muhammad (USA)/Ena Shibahara (JPN) 6-4 6-4
[1] Hsieh Su-wei (TPE)/Elise Mertens (BEL) d [4] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) 6-2 7-6(5)

COMING UP
Women’s doubles, final
[3] Storm Hunter (AUS)/Katerina Siniakova (CZE) v [1] Hsieh Su-wei (TPE)/Elise Mertens (BEL)

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