Elise Mertens advances to quarter-finals in Australian Open women's doubles

Belgium's Elise Mertens faced the press with a smile on Monday at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. The world number five in doubles qualified for the quarter-finals alongside Australian Storm Hunter, after an easy win in two sets (6-2 and 6-2) against Swiss Viktorija Golubic and Romanian Monica Niculescu.

"This is the first tournament I am playing with Storm. It's only the third match, but the feeling is very good", the Limburg native explained during the post-match press conference. "We both have a positive attitude and a lot of fun together. We also really go for every point. It's nice that, for once, we could play in prime time at the Rod Laver Arena. And then things went really well in the match as well."

Mertens will advance to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open doubles for the fourth time in her career. In 2021, she took the final victory alongside Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka. On Saturday, the latter kicked Mertens out of the singles in the third round. Mertens and Hunter will meet Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk and Romanian Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

"We are confident," Mertens said. "We are playing good tennis and have to try to continue playing aggressively." The Belgian number one, a bit superstitious, promised to wear her blue outfit, which seemed to bring good luck so far, until the end of the tournament.

(BRV)

^{Elise Mertens © BELGA PHOTO PATRICK HAMILTON}