Melbourne, Jan 29 (IANS): Defending champions Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova continued their exceptional Grand Slam winning streak in women's doubles by capturing the 2023 Australian Open title, here on Sunday.

Krejcikova and Siniakova posted a thrilling 6-4 6-3 victory over Japanese pair Shuko Aoyama & Ena Shibahara to clinch their seventh Grand Slam title together.

The Czech duo have not lost a Grand Slam women's doubles match since 2021, having won all three of the majors they contested last year (the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open).

The top seeds needed one hour and 29 minutes to seal the win here at Rod Laver Arena, which earned them bragging rights as the first team to defend an Australian Open women's doubles title since Italy's Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci achieved the feat in 2014.

Krejcikova and Siniakova are up to 24 consecutive match-wins in women's doubles at Grand Slam events. Before their title run last year, they made the semifinals in 2020 and were runners-up in 2021.

"It was a pleasure to be on this court against you," 26-year-old Siniakova said to her Japanese rivals. "Big thanks to my partner, Bara, I'm so happy we did it again. It was a nice journey and I'm looking forward to (the) next tournaments."

The duo, who own 14 titles together on the women's tour, first teamed up as juniors in 2013, winning three of the four girls' doubles titles that year.

"I'm really happy we're playing our tenth year together. It's been a very long journey and I'm really happy [with] how we are playing and how we can improve, the connection is working well and I'm really looking forward for more," Krejcikova added.