Blockbuster doubles action at the German capital.
No. 3 seeds Mirra Andreeva and Diana Shnaider open their account in the women’s doubles competition at the 2025 Berlin Tennis Open on Wednesday. The duo faces an uphill task in the very first match – running into veteran doubles duo of Timea Babos and Luisa Stefani on Court-1. Can the Russians overcome the flair of the Hungary-Brazil duo?
After a disappointing campaign in singles, Andreeva will be desperate for a quick turnaround. The 18-year-old came up short against Magdalena Frech in Round-1, and lost her temper en route to a third set mauling. As a pair, Andreeva/Shnaider have tasted success in 2025. While the former is No. 7 in the world in singles, the latter is the doubles World No. 8 at the moment.
It has been a year filled with semifinal appearances for the Russian prodigies. They reached the final four stage at the Australian Open (lost to Siniakova/Townsend), Qatar Open (lost to Errani/Paolini), Italian Open (lost to Errani/Paolini) and Roland Garros (lost to Errani/Paolini). Apart from this, the pair managed to pick up the Miami Masters crown in March.
Former doubles World No. 1 Timea Babos continues to be one of the most potent threats on the circuit. Alongside a phenomenal partner in Luisa Stefani, she has sculpted a delectable recipe for success. They won the title in Strasbourg last month, as well as in Linz. Babos and Stefani are undoubtedly one of the best pairings to remain unseeded at the German capital this week.
Wednesday’s Round of 16 contest will be the first ever meeting between the pairs.
| Andreeva / Shnaider | Category | Babos / Stefani |
| 0 | Doubles Grand Slams | 4 / 1 |
| 3 / 4 | WTA Singles Titles | 3 / 0 |
| 2 / 2 | WTA Doubles Titles | 27 / 11 |
| Silver (Paris 2024) | Olympics Best Performance | – |
| No. 14 / No. 8 | Current Doubles Ranking | No. 25 / No. 26 |
| No. 14 / No. 8 | Career-Best Doubles Ranking | No. 1 / No. 9 |
In sync & on fire 🔥
— wta (@WTA) May 14, 2025
Diana Shnaider and Mirra Andreeva save three match points to take out the top seeds Dabrowski/Routliffe 6-2, 4-6, 11-9!#IBI25 pic.twitter.com/JBzGAYKRkp
It is going to be a nail-biting affair at the Rot-Weiss Tennis Club on Wednesday, as two mega doubles pairs clash on the fast paced grass courts. Shnaider is also featuring in the singles competition – it will be interesting to see how much of a role fatigue and energy conservation play in her game. While she reached the doubles final in Queen’s Club alongside a different partner, Babos/Stefani were knocked out in the QF.
Prediction: Andreeva/Shnaider in three sets.
Here are the odds for the doubles match-up, where Andreeva and Shnaider start as the favourites:
Andreeva/Shnaider Win: 4/9
Babos/Stefani Win: 2/1
(According to SkyBet)
A passionate sports fan through and through, I am currently pursuing my MA in Global Sports Journalism. I specialise in tennis and football writing at The Playoffs News, and I have prior experience working at EssentiallySports and Sportskeeda. Born and raised in Bengaluru, India, sport was my safe space right from my childhood. After trying my hand at multiple sports and representing my educational institutions in cricket, badminton and table tennis, I found sports media to be my calling.
Read moreMy message to the readers is not to be shy to express themselves – regardless of whether it is playing, talking or writing about sport. And if you’re a fan of Roger Federer, Lionel Messi and/or Stephen Curry – I’m your guy.
We use cookies for ads and to improve your experience. By continuing on the site, you agree to our Privacy Policy. Read more about it