Mattek-Sands/Safarova Look to Continue Hot Streak

Things have gotten harder for Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova in each round of the Volvo Car Open. But – again and again – the No. 1 doubles seeds have risen above the challenge.

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Sunday they’ll be asked to do so one more time when they meet No. 3 seeds Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic in the Volvo Car Open doubles final. 

Mattek-Sands, an American, and Safarova, of the Czech Republic, are fresh off a tournament title in Miami last week, the fifth of their partnership. Saturday they fended off Vania King and Alla Kudryavtseva 6-2, 3-6, 10-4 to make the final. 

Garcia and Mladenovic, both from France, were straight-sets winners over Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Laura Siegemund 6-4, 6-3.  

It has been a week of exciting doubles in a place that appreciates the game like no other. No. 2 seeds

Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka were upset in the first round, while the No. 4 seeds – a pair of Americans in Raquel Atawo and Abigail Spears – fell to King/Kudryavtseva at the quarterfinal hurdle.

Mattek-Sands was a winner here in 2009 with a different partner, and Safarova won in 2012 and 2013, as well. It was that most recent title that Safarova and Mladenovic actually won together. Sunday they’ll face off against one another with the trophy at stake.