17 July 2023 | Tennis West

Storm Hunter and Belgian partner Elise Mertens have finished runners-up in the Wimbledon 2023 ladies’ doubles competition.

Hunter and Belgian Elise Mertens finished runners-up in the ladies’ doubles competition, losing 7-5 6-4 to veterans Hsieh Su-wei and Barbora Strycova in a high-quality Centre Court showdown.

“It was a tough match,” Hunter conceded. “Congrats to Su-wei and Barbora. They played really, really well.”

Hunter, who was competing in her career-first ladies’ doubles Grand Slam final, had been aiming to snap a 19-year title drought for Australians in the Wimbledon ladies’ doubles competition.

Despite the loss, she was proud of a career-best run.

“For me, it’s a dream come true to play here on Centre Court in the doubles final,” she said.

It proved an emotional victory for 37-year-olds Hsieh and Strycova.

Strycova, a former world No.1 doubles player, was contesting her first Grand Slam tournament since Australian Open 2021. The mother of one returned to the tour in May, determined to compete at Wimbledon one last time.

“This is the perfect way to finish,” she said after winning her second career Grand Slam title.

Strycova won her first at Wimbledon in 2019, also alongside Hsieh.

Hsieh, a former world No.1 coached by Australian legend Paul McNamee, also returned in May from an extended injury time-off.

This is Hsieh’s sixth career Grand Slam doubles title and the second of her stunning comeback, after claiming the Roland Garros crown last month with China’s Wang Xinyu.