Top seeds Hsieh Su-Wei and Barbora Strycova will face Ashleigh Barty and Kiki Bertens for the Brisbane International doubles title on Sunday.
The reigning Wimbledon champions overcame a blistering start from unseeded Yang Zhaoxuan and Lyudmyla Kichenok to advance 7-6(3) 6-3.
This was the first event together for Kichenok – a winner of four WTA Tour doubles titles with twin sister Nadiia – and Yang, of China.
We’re pretty excited for this one…
Our doubles final is set!
Barty/Bertens vs. 1️⃣ Hsieh/Strycova on Sunday#BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/rgq6iH7UGM
— #BrisbaneTennis (@BrisbaneTennis) January 11, 2020
The 24-year-old Yang also had four tour titles to her name and it was she and Kichenok who made the quicker start as they raced to a 5-2 opening-set lead.
Serving for the opening set, Kichenok was broken when Hsieh’s double-handed forehand drew the volleying error from Yang.
The top seeds lifted when it mattered most, quickly jumping to a 5-0 lead in the tie-break and back-to-back volley winners from Strycova snared the set.
In a far more routine second set, the Czech served out the result with a love hold after one hour and 31 minutes.
Barty and Bertens were handed a walkover into the final when Kristina Mladenovic – who had teamed with Ajla Tomljanovic – withdrew.