US Open 2013: Hlavackova-Hradecka outclass Dellacqua-Barty to clinch doubles title

Andrea Hlavackova (R) and Lucie Hradecka pose with the trophy in front of the Unisphere after winning their women’s doubles final against Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua at the US Open on September 7, 2013 in New York City. (Getty Images)

Andrea Hlavackova is living a dream. After winning the mixed doubles title with Max Mirnyi on Friday, she came out with her friend and partner Lucie Hradecka to extend her party in New York to Saturday night.

The Czech duo came from behind to survive an intense match against their determined Aussie opponents to snatch the women’s doubles title. Hlavackova-Hradecka won the two hour battle 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-4 to deny Grand Slam glory to Casey Dellacqua and Ashleigh Barty.

Barty, all of 17 and Dellacqua, eleven years her senior have enjoyed a successful season together. The Aussies were runners-up at Melbourne and Wimbledon this year. Impressively, they had taken down their Czech opponents 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in their last meeting.

Hlavackova and Hradecka earned their first Grand Slam title in 2011, when they defeated Sania Mirza and Elena Vesnina in straight sets to win the French Open in 2011. They were also in two finals last year, losing to the Williams sisters in Wimbledon and finishing second to Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci at the US Open.

The first set remained on serve till the eighth game – a forehand smash winner gave the Aussie duo three break points. The Czechs saved one with a stinging backhand volley, but surrendered the break with a poorly executed smash on the next point. However, the set was back on serve almost immediately as the fifth seeded duo broke at love in the next game to prevent the Aussies from the taking the set.

In the ensuing tie-breaker, the Aussies began with an ace and a backhand error from the Czechs gave them a mini-break for a 2-0 lead. A forehand smash winner behind a powerful serve helped Dellacqua-Barty gain a comfortable 4-1 lead. But then the Aussies squandered the advantage, making a series of errors to enable their opponents to claw back at 4-4.

They undid some of that damage with a thumping volley winner to gain two set points at 6-4. The set was in their bag when the Czechs failed to find the range with a smash on the next point. The two teams were barely separable in a tightly contested set, and even though the eighth seeded pair had fewer (13-15) winners, the Aussies won the important points in the tie-break to steal the 46-minute set.

The Aussie duo extended their advantage when the Czechs threw in a double fault in the first game of the second set surrender an early breakpoint. Dellacqua struck a backhand volley winner to take the break. But in an impressive turnaround the gritty Hlavackova-Hradecka mounted a rearguard action that stung the Aussies hard. The Czech pair won six games in a row to clean up the second set in exactly 30 minutes.

The eighth seeded Australians had already lost a couple of finals this year and the intensity of the final set was adding to the court temperature. Barty and Dellacqua made three straight errors in the forecourt to offer two breakpoints to their opponents. Hradecka snapped it up neatly with a backhand volley winner for a 4-3 lead.

Casey Dellacqua and Ashleigh Barty look dejected after their women’s doubles final against Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka at the US Open on September 7, 2013 in New York City. (Getty Images)

In the next game, a double fault by Hradecka at 30-30 in the eighth game eased the tension for the Aussies; an immediate break back opportunity came out of nowhere. The Czech team gifted the break when Hradecka failed to get her backhand across the net when she was rushed at the baseline.

Barty was forced to deuce in the ninth game as the pressure mounted. Hradecka moved up at the net to punch a backhand volley winner to earn break point in the ninth game. But Dellacqua was equal to the challenge, thumping a backhand volley right between her two opponents to claw back to deuce.

The end game was near and each point turned into a battle. The young Barty, under attack from the baseline was forced into an error as the Czechs earned yet another break point. After a rally, Barty struck a forehand into the net to surrender what was to prove the decisive difference between the two teams.

Hlavackova, solid all evening on her serve, now had the opportunity to serve for the US Open Women’s Doubles Championship. The 27 year old earned three match points when Hradecka poached one at the net to thump a crushing forehand winner.

The Czechs went one better on their effort last year when Barty dumped a backhand in the net. The loss meant that Dellacqua and Barty haven’t a win to show from three appearances in Grand Slam finals this year.

The Czech duo was too strong at the baseline for the Aussies, especially Hradecka. Both women often stood at the back before they gained enough depth on their ground strokes to give Hlavackova enough time to run up to the net and poach a volley winner.

“It’s been amazing,” said Hlavackova. “I can’t believe I have won two Grand Slams this week. I want to thank Lucie. She helped me as much as Max did.”

The win gave the Czech duo $460,000 in prize money and helped etch their name on the polished US Open silver trophy for the first time in their careers.