Stosur on track for double the glory

Despite being knocked out of the singles draw in a tight fourth round encounter against Martina Hingis, Australia’s Samantha Stosur remains on track to capture two other titles at the 2006 Australian Open.

Stosur, with experienced American Lisa Raymond by her side, breezed into Melbourne Park’s women’s doubles final with a clinical 6-2 6-4 semi-final win over the fifth-seeded pairing of Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany and American Meghann Shaughnessy.

The top-seeded Australian-American pair started strongly by breaking their opponent early before closing out the opening set in half an hour.

With games in the second set going against serve, holding serve was as crucial as ever.

Raymond eventually managed to hold serve in the eighth game to open up a match-winning lead.

The reigning WTA Championships title holders will now play the first Chinese players to ever reach a final of a major, 12th seeds Yan Zi and Zheng Jie, in the final.

For Raymond and Stosur, a finals win would add to their first Grand Slam title triumph as a pair at last year’s US Open.

The 21-year-old Stosur also remains in contention to defend the mixed doubles crown she claimed in 2005 with compatriot Scott Draper.

With accomplished doubles partner Paul Hanley, the fifth-seeded Australian duo are due to play their tough quarterfinal encounter against American fourth seeds Corina Morariu and Mike Brian on Thursday.

After beating Australian Todd Perry and Swede Simon Aspelin in the quarterfinals, Hanley is also through to the men’s doubles semi-finals with his partner Kevin Ullyett of Zimbabwe.

The fourth-seeded combination of Hanley and Ullyett meet the world’s best doubles pairing, the United States’ Bryan brothers, on Thursday for a spot in the final.

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