ST. PETERSBURG, FL, USA - Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs are the fourth and final team to qualify for the doubles event at the Sony Ericsson Championships - Doha 2009, taking place from October 27 to November 1.
Stosur and Stubbs began an exclusive doubles partnership in the beginning of the 2009 season and have reached three finals already, at Eastbourne, Wimbledon and Toronto. They have also been to the semifinals of the US Open and Premier-level tournaments in Dubai and Madrid.
While this will be their first appearance at the event as a team, both have been here before. Stosur has been here three times before and won it twice, in 2005 and 2006 (with Lisa Raymond). This will be Stubbs' 14th appearance, winning it once in 2001 (also with Raymond). Stosur has 22 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour doubles titles to her name (including two majors); Stubbs has 59 (four majors).
"It's a privilege to make it to the Sony Ericsson Championships," Stubbs said. "I've qualified for the Championships many times with different partners, but this year it's extra special to be playing in Doha with a fellow Australian."
"We are really excited about clinching a spot at the Sony Ericsson Championships," Stosur said. "Rennae and I only teamed up at the beginning of the year and it's been a very rewarding partnership so far as we've achieved a lot of great results, qualifying for Championships being the best one so far."
"Rennae and Sam both have track records of tremendous success in doubles, and it has been exciting to watch them team up this year and achieve great results," said Stacey Allaster, Chairman & CEO of the Tour. "I congratulate Rennae and Sam on qualifying for the Sony Ericsson Championships and look forward to seeing them compete with the best doubles teams in the world."
"Congratulations to Rennae and Sam on the great 2009 season and clinching the last spot at the Sony Ericsson Championships for the first time in their joint doubles career," said Aldo Liguori, Corporate VP and Head of Global Communications & PR for Sony Ericsson. "We look forward to these stars joining the previously qualified players and wish them luck at what promises to be a terrific finale to the season."
Cara Black and Liezel Huber, the Williams sisters and Nuria Llagostera Vives and María José Martínez Sánchez were the first teams to qualify.
