Doubles Drama: Danilina and Paolini to Meet Mertens and Zhang

The women’s doubles draw at the 2026 Australian Open has narrowed down to two elite pairs. Anna Danilina and Jasmine Paolini survived a marathon semifinal on Rod Laver Arena, defeating Gabriela Dabrowski and Giuliana Olmos 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4. The match, which lasted nearly two and a half hours, tested the endurance of both teams. Waiting for them in the final are Elise Mertens and Shuai Zhang, who enjoyed a much swifter passage by defeating Shibahara and Zvonareva in straight sets. The upcoming final promises a contrast in styles between the battle-hardened Danilina-Paolini and the efficient Mertens-Zhang.