Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina (click to enlarge)
The 2016 WTA Finals might have disappointed me in singles, but at least the doubles championship featured my favorite duo, Team Bucie, against another of the top pairs, Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina. So while I was pulling for Team Bucie, a 7-6 (5) 6-3 title victory by Kate and Elena is still cause to celebrate. It was the reigning Olympic women’s doubles Gold Medalists taking out the reigning US Open women’s doubles champions. Right now, women’s doubles is in a good place, even without the Williams sisters playing on any consistent basis outside the Majors. Team Bucie, Makarova/Vesnina, Garcia/Mladenovic and whomever pairs with Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis going forward give the WTA storylines and personalities that I hope they promote more in 2017. There is a lot of exciting tennis happening in doubles!
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SINGLES FINAL
7 DOMINIKA CIBULKOVA d. 1 Angelique Kerber, 6-3 6-4
with Monica Seles
with Chris Evert
DOUBLES FINAL
4 EKATERINA MAKAROVA d. 3 Bethanie Mattek-Sands/Lucie Safarova, 7-6 (5) 6-3
Fairways and Forehands 