Serena Williams, Caroline Wozniacki win 1st doubles match

y're friends, y're former World . 1s in singles and on Monday y became doubles partners for first time as Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki teamed to win a first round match at ASB Classic in Auckland.

Williams and Wozniacki overwhelmed Japan's Nao Hibi and Mikoto Nimiya 6-2, 6-4 in a match which was both historic and poignant.

pair jointly have won 24 Grand Slam titles and 102 WTA singles titles. Williams additionally has won 23 doubles titles, including 13 Gran Slam and three Olympic titles, mostly in partnership with sister Venus.

Serena hasn't played doubles with anyone or than Venus since 2015 and last played a WTA tournament with anyone or than Venus in 2002.

Wozniacki hasn't played doubles at all in last three years.

But pair have long harbored a desire to take court as a doubles pairing and on Monday y took what may be ir last opportunity to do so.

Wozniacki is playing Auckland tournament for sixth-straight year as a prelude to Australian Open after which she will retire from competitive tennis. She was diagsed with rheumatoid arthritis shortly after winning at Melbourne Park in 2018 and has decided to make Australian Open her last professional tournament before retirement.

Wozniacki and Williams will face each or one last time in an exhibition match in Copehn in May which will be Wozniacki's tennis farewell.

On Monday pair formed a relaxed and intuitive combination, laughing and exchanging high-fives as y swept past Hibi and Nimiya in 70 minutes.

"It was so much fun, I really enjoyed that," Wozniacki said. "I've been around for a long time and to get to play with Serena was amazing.

"It wouldn't be same if I didn't at least once get to play with her on same side. "She's beaten me a lot of times on or side so it's actually nice that we can win toger for once."

Williams added "it doesn't seem like she hasn't played in a long time because she played unbelievable.

"It's cool. I can't let rest of both of our amazing careers go without playing with her. With her doing so well as a Grand Slam champion and a long-time , 1 for so long, of course I want to share court with her."

Earlier, American teenr Coco Gauff beat Slovakia's Viktoria Kuzmova 6-3, 6-1 in 61 minutes to stay on course for a quarterfinal meeting with Williams.

Williams, top seed, plays Camilia Giorgi of Italy in her first round singles on Tuesday while Wozniacki plays New Zealand wildcard Paige Hourigan.