Doubles partner change for Mertens: the Belgian will play with Zhang Shuai in 2026

After a successful 2025 season with Wimbledon and the WTA Finals, Elise Mertens must turn the page: Veronika Kudermetova is putting doubles on hold. But the Belgian has already found her new ally, whom she already knows very well.

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Adrien Guyot

le 19/12/2025 à 13h51

1 min to read

Kudermetova Veronika Mertens Elise Zhang Shuai

Elise Mertens and Veronika Kudermetova have established themselves as one of the best doubles pairs in the world in recent months. The Belgian and the Russian even won Wimbledon and the WTA Finals together in 2025. The two women had already triumphed at the Masters in 2022.

But the duo will not continue next year. Indeed, Kudermetova has decided to take a sabbatical year in doubles and dedicate the entire next season to singles.

Mertens will play doubles with Zhang Shuai in 2026

The identity of Kudermetova's replacement is already known. As reported by RTBF, Elise Mertens will be partnered with Chinese player Zhang Shuai. A collaboration that is not new since the two women have already played together.

Mertens and Zhang reached the Wimbledon final in 2022, where they lost to the Czech pair Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova. "I know Shuai well and I've already played with her. We'll see how it goes," Mertens assured the Belgian media in recent hours.