They are best friends, doubles partners and were born four days apart so it’s unsurprising that No.4 seeds Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic have similar tastes.
Stepping out for their first-round encounter against qualifiers Magda Linette and Mandy Minella it looked as though last year’s ladies' doubles runners-up had planned their attire down to the very last detail – both wore their blonde hair plaited beneath a white sun visor and both chose elegant tops complete with fan-shaped detailing on the back.
Except the best buddies did not chat about fashion or hairstyles before venturing out for their Court 6 encounter.
She’s my best friend, she’s like my sister and knows everything about my life. We’re really close
“This we don’t really discuss,” Mladenovic, who Babos refers to as ‘Kiki’, said after the match, “But we advise each other if it fits or not, if it looks nice or if the other one can’t choose or decide. She’s someone who is really honest. She’s my best friend, she’s like my sister and knows everything about my life. We’re really close.”
That chemistry was evident on Thursday as the duo swept aside their opponents 6-4, 6-1 in just an hour. They laughed. They joked. And when they looked at each other it was evident they knew what each other was thinking without having to verbally communicate. It’s a skill that certainly helps on a tennis court. And it's one that has been honed over the course of their 12-year friendship.
“It’s amazing, we don’t need to speak but we know what the other is thinking,” Kiki declared. “Many times it happens that we say exactly the same time or we look at the same thing at the same time and the big laugh afterwards. We know each other really well.”
Timi, as Kiki calls her agreed: “We have a lot of fun, we have the same sense of humour.”
Both women were certainly on the same page on their march to victory. Babos, who the night before had lost to Serena Williams in the second round of the ladies' singles, frequently sent crisp, winning volleys past her opponents and, more often than not, was joined by her buddy at the net.
Mladenovic, too, riding high on confidence was equally as impressive. The Frenchwoman, who won the mixed doubles title here with Daniel Nestor in 2013, has enjoyed a wonderful spell on the lawns of late, having reached the last four of the Aegon Classic in Birmingham where she claimed the scalp of top seed Simona Halep in the quarter-finals.
And on Friday the 22-year-old takes on No.23 seed Victoria Azarenka in the third round of the ladies' singles. Is it difficult playing both events?
“Physically I’m ready,” Mladenovic said. “I’ve prepared well enough to be able to play two matches a day and play both competitions. For this it’s not a big deal for me.”
Elsewhere, No. 7 seeds Su-Wei Hsieh, who won the title here in 2013 with Shuai Peng, had a similarly smooth ride though to the second round with partner Flavia Pennetta. They saw off Elena Bogdan and Simona Halep 6-4, 6-1 in 54 minutes. No.8 seeds Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka, who hold the 2011 Roland Garros and 2013 US Open ladies doubles' titles, cast aside Alize Cornet and Aleksandra Krunic 6-1, 6-4.
Russian No. 11 seeds Alla Kudryavtseva and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova also enjoyed a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Andrea Petkovic and Magdalena Rybarikova.
