Kiki Bertens started her season on Monday with a victory. The Westlandse won the opening game in doubles at the Brisbane WTA tournament together with world ranking captain Ashleigh Barty.
Bertens and Barty still had to leave the first set to Anett Kontaveit and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, but the Dutch and the Australian recovered in the second company and withdrew in the decisive supertie break: 6-7 (6), 6-3 and 10-8.
For a place in the semifinals, Bertens and Barty compete against the Japanese duo Shuko Aoyama / Ena Shibahara or the American Nicole Melichar and the Chinese Xu Yifan.
Last year Bertens formed a couple in Brisbane with fellow countryman Demi Schuurs, but they were eliminated in the first round. Two years ago the two Dutch tennis players still won the double tournament.
Bertens is preparing for the Australian Open
28-year-old Bertens will of course also play singles in Brisbane. The current number nine in the world will face Tuesday in the first round against nineteen year old Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska.
The tournament in Brisbane counts as preparation for the Australian Open. The first Grand Slam tournament of the year starts on January 20. Before that, Bertens will participate in Adelaide.
Bertens never got further than the third round at the Australian Open. Last year the second round was the end station for the leader of Dutch tennis, who will be coached in 2020 by Elise Tamaëla.
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