Melboune: The top-ranked team of Gisela Dulko of Argentina and Italian Flavia Pennetta rallied from a set and 4-1 down to beat Victoria Azarenka and Maria Kirilenko 2-6, 7-5, 6-1 for the Australian Open women's doubles title on Friday.
It was the first Grand Slam title for the Dulko-Pennetta combination, who made it to the quarterfinals at all the Grand Slams last year and the Wimbledon semifinals.
Dulko and Pennetta, ranked No. 1 and No. 2 among doubles players, were already up a break in the deciding set at 3-1 when they broke again when Kirilenko netted a backhand.
They held in their next service game, then broke Azaranka and Kirilenko again to close out the match.
Dulko and Pennetta won seven doubles titles last year, including a 17-match winning streak.
"Last year was a great year, this year we are starting really good," Pennetta said.
Azarenka and Kirilenko were playing their first Grand Slam tournament together. Azarenka, of Belarus, formerly was a two-time Grand Slam finalist, including last year at Melbourne Park with Shahar Peer.
Kirilenko's best previous doubles result was a semifinal at last year's Australian Open with Agnieszka Radwanksa.
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