Former UCLA standout Ena Shibahara advanced to the first women’s doubles final round of her Grand Slam career Friday in Melbourne, teaming with Shuko Aoyama to defeat the second-seeded American combination of Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula 6-2, 7-6(7).
The Japanese tandem of Shibahara and Aoyama had matched its previous best showing when it reached the semifinals, a feat the pair also achieved at Wimbledon in 2021. Shibahara and partner Wesley Koolhof won the mixed doubles championship at Roland-Garros in 2022.
With Friday’s win, Shibahara equals Bruin Kimberly Po-Messerli’s women’s doubles final-round appearance made at the 2001 US Open.
The pair of Shibahara and Aoyama, seeded 10th, is tasked with besting No. 1 Barbora Krejcíková/Katerina Siniaková of the Czech Republic in Saturday’s final.
Shibahara and Aoyama took the opening four games of their semifinal match en route to a decisive first-set display. Gauff and Pegula jumped out to a 3-0 advantage in the second, but Shibahara and Aoyama answered to get the match back on serve. Gauff and Pegula held set points at 6-4, 6-5 and 7-6, serving for the latter two, but Shibahara and Aoyama took the final three points for the victory.
Shibahara and Aoyama needed three sets to get past first-round opponents Magda Linette and Wang Xiyu. Just four total games were dropped in the next round versus Nadiia Kichenok and Kimberley Zimmermann. Successful straight-set results were also posted against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Elena Rybakina in the third round, as well as Caroline Dolehide and Anna Kalinskaya in the quarterfinals.
At long last, a Grand Slam FINAL ??
???? Shuko Aoyama/@EnaShibs reach their maiden women’s doubles final by defeating Gauff/Pegula 6-2 7-6(7)!@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/ozOzZkfSg6
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2023
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