The Number One Doubles Team: Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta
There is a new (doubles) team on the block in 2010, Argentine, Gisela Dulko, and Italian, Flavia Pennetta. Dulko and Pennetta won more doubles titles, seven in all, than any other team, and they capped off their season with the title in Doha at the year-end
WTA Championships defeating Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik, 7-5 6-4 in the final. Dulko, who played more doubles earlier in the year with other partners, will end the year as the Number One ranked doubles player, the second South American to hold that honor (Paola Suarez from Argentina was also ranked Number One). During her career, Dulko has won sixteen doubles titles. Pennetta, who has collected thirteen doubles titles during her career, will be ranked second in doubles for 2010.
Pennetta and Dulko, who have had success as singles players, started playing doubles together because they are good friends. They first played together in 2006 winning the title in Bogota, but then only a couple times since then without strong results until 2009. last year, they teamed together for five events, winning two titles and reaching two finals showing the promise that was fulfilled in 2010.
Dulko and Pennetta continue a subtle trend that began last year when Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and Nuria Llagostera Vives won the doubles title at the WTA Championships. Similar to Martinez Sanchez, Dulko and Pennetta are not “doubles specialists” and have successful careers as singles players. Dulko has won three singles titles, been ranked as high as twenty-sixth and been in the top 50 for the past several years posting a couple big wins including over Maria Sharapova. Pennetta, who has won nine singles titles, reached a career-high singles ranking of tenth last year and currently is ranked twenty-third. Dulko and Pennetta also have yet to win a Grand Slam title together in doubles which will clearly be a major goal in 2011!
Pennetta and Dulko, who have had success as singles players, started playing doubles together because they are good friends. They first played together in 2006 winning the title in Bogota, but then only a couple times since then without strong results until 2009. last year, they teamed together for five events, winning two titles and reaching two finals showing the promise that was fulfilled in 2010.
Dulko and Pennetta continue a subtle trend that began last year when Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and Nuria Llagostera Vives won the doubles title at the WTA Championships. Similar to Martinez Sanchez, Dulko and Pennetta are not “doubles specialists” and have successful careers as singles players. Dulko has won three singles titles, been ranked as high as twenty-sixth and been in the top 50 for the past several years posting a couple big wins including over Maria Sharapova. Pennetta, who has won nine singles titles, reached a career-high singles ranking of tenth last year and currently is ranked twenty-third. Dulko and Pennetta also have yet to win a Grand Slam title together in doubles which will clearly be a major goal in 2011!
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