Flashbacks undoubtedly flashed through her mind. Elise Mertens was vying for her second doubles title on the hallowed grass of Wimbledon today, her fifth in total. At her side: Russian Veronika Kudermetova. Across the net: Yelena Ostapenko and Hsieh Su-Wei – the latter, not coincidentally, the woman with whom Mertens lifted the same trophy in 2021.

A double-header that didn't start as hoped for our compatriot and her partner. Despite a promising start, in which they secured an early break, Mertens and Koedermetova were blown away in the second half of the set by the unpredictable Ostapenko and the experienced Hsieh. The duo won five games in a row and took the set 6-3.

But Mertens' resilience – now an established player on the doubles circuit – quickly emerged. In the second set, she dictated the pace at the net, while Koedermetova made the difference with powerful returns from the baseline. The duo quickly pulled ahead and gave their opponents no breathing room. They convincingly won the set 2-6 with a double break.

A decisive third set was to decide the outcome. The Belgian-Russian duo seemed to be playing catch-up for a while, but restored order in the final stages. It was Mertens who, just as in the semifinals, struck at the crucial moment at the net. On the first match point, she scored immediately. Elise Mertens lowered her racket, briefly looked up at the sky, and then walked over to her partner for a warm embrace. Wimbledon was hers again: 6-3, 2-6, 4-6.