Tennis news - Sam Stosur, Zhang Shuai claim women's doubles title at Australian Open

Australian Stosur, who has a history of suffering attacks of nerves in front of home fans, struggled to serve out the match at Rod Laver Arena and double-faulted on match point.

But she and China's Zhang held on and claimed the win when Hungary's Babos struck long in a baseline duel with Stosur.

The opening set might have got off to the worst possible start for the home favourites with the number two seeds failing to capitalise on four break points, and it took 20 minutes to complete the opening three games, with the defending champions finally obtaining a break.

But Babos and Mladenovic allowed their opponents to wrestle control when they failed to hold in consecutive games as Stosur served out the opening set thanks to Zhang's superb smash at the net.

The second set remained on serve until the seventh game when Zhang launched a stunning winner down the middle of the court to move the Australian-Chinese collaboration to within a game of that elusive title.

And victory was secured with a fierce volley from the Australian forcing Babos' return to drift out. Stosur and Zhang remain the only team who can hold all four Grand Slam titles in the same calendar year.

It is Stosur's third Grand Slam doubles title after winning the 2005 US Open and 2006 French Open, while Zhang celebrated her first.