Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina won their second Grand Slam doubles title. Us Open 2014

Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina of Russia that prompted Martina Hingis to launch her doubles-only comeback last year, but the Russians prevailed in a far more important occasion in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Down a set and a break in the women’s doubles final against Hingis and Flavia Pennetta, Makarova and Vesnina hung tough and won their second Grand Slam doubles title together, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Sixteen years after her last US Open doubles title, the ‘90s were alive and well in Arthur Ashe Stadium as Hingis put on a volleying clinic with Pennetta in the opening set. They broke Vesnina to open up the match and began picking on her backhand side. A wild backhand miss from Vesnina on Makarova’s serve gave the unseeded pair a commanding 5-2 lead, and when Hingis easily held serve to wrap up the set, the No. 4 seeds left the court for a bathroom break.
A break of Vesnina’s serve off an unforced error gave Hingis and Pennetta a 3-2 lead in the second set, and it appeared that the match would be one-way traffic. But Makarova showed why she got to the singles semifinals this week by hitting a volley winner to break Pennetta in the very next game. Two games later, the Russians broke Hingis off a volley error from Pennetta, and Vesnina then comfortably held serve to level the match at one set each.
The No. 4 seeds showed impressive mental fortitude after breaking Pennetta to open the third set, saving numerous break points in their next two service games to maintain a 3-1 lead. The Italian then hit what appeared to be a volley winner on break point on Vesnina’s serve, but a Hawkeye challenge showed the ball was wide, and the Russian eventually hit an ace to give her team a 4-2 lead.
Hingis dropped her serve in the next game when Vesnina hit a delicate volley winner. With Makarova serving for the championship, she ripped a forehand up the line on match point, as both players jubilantly jumped for joy.