INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Hsieh Su-Wei was soaking up the excitement of her impending return to No.1 in doubles when she suddenly became quiet, lost in deep thought. Shortly after, she snapped back, sharing an eye-opening realization.

Despite three stints as the doubles No.1, Hsieh had never immortalized her milestones with a snapshot alongside the World No.1 trophy, the only missing ingredient on her resume, which spans over 20 years.

On Saturday, Hsieh and her partner, Elise Mertens, cemented their status as the ones to beat this season. Seeded No.1 at the BNP Paribas Open, they rolled through the draw without losing a set to win their second title of the season and second Indian Wells title as a team. 

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Hsieh and Mertens now head to Miami with two of the four biggest titles on tour after winning the Australian Open in January. Mertens went into Indian Wells with the No.1 ranking. Hsieh will take it over from her Monday, capping off the 38-year-old's return to the top of the game. 

This time last year, Hsieh was keeping herself busy skiing in the French Alps and gardening. She had not played a match since the 2022 WTA Finals, opting to sit on the sidelines to let her body heal from more than two decades on tour. She returned to competition at the Madrid Open last April. 

Less than 12 months later, she is the reigning doubles champion at three of the four Grand Slams, winning the different partners. First came the French Open with Wang Xinyu, then Wimbledon with Barbora Strycova and the Australian Open with Mertens. Her win at Indian Wells is her 34th career doubles title. 

When Hsieh learned that the trophy had diamonds embedded in it, her eyes lit up with excitement. 

"No, no, you have to give it back," Mertens said, laughing. "You don't get to keep it."

Hsieh rejected her admonitions.

"No, when there are diamonds you have to give it to the player," Hsieh said. "They keep it for life. If you give the diamonds to the player they will work really hard to try and catch it. That is the motivation for the player."

Key points: Hsieh, Mertens beat Hunter, Siniakova to win Indian Wells

The chemistry and shared understanding between Hsieh and Mertens form the basis for their winning, improvisational style. Mertens not only accepts but embraces Hsieh's unpredictability, knowing the payoff can come at any time. 

"That's what I like about her," Mertens told reporters. "It's not straightforward. She can surprise you in many ways.

"It's also very fun on court. It's not like, 'OK, we have to focus and if you miss.' No, we're just like, 'OK, let's float a little bit.' Sometimes it just comes natural with both of us."

On Saturday, that moment came with a pair of highlight shots from Hsieh -- a lunging forehand to blunt a driven overhead followed by a casual backhand pass -- which fueled the final break of the match.

Hsieh admits her focus can waver during matches, but when it matters the most, she can channel her concentration.

When Hsieh playfully teased Mertens after a particularly over-analytical answer, Mertens said.

"I think I'm just the thinker a little bit more," she said. "After the match I analyze a little bit. How did we feel, how did we do the little things?

"She's just like, 'OK, I hit, boom.'"

Asked if she ever analyzes matches, Hsieh did not miss a beat.  

"Sometimes I don't remember what I just did," she said. "What were we doing at the match point? How did we win the last game? Sometimes I have to ask the team."

Mertens will cede the No.1 ranking Monday, but she couldn't be happier for her partner. 

"Being No.1 in the world, there's nobody, ranking-wise, better than you," Mertens said. "So it does mean a lot. 

"I love her being No.1, I wouldn't have it any other way for any other person. Especially winning these big tournaments, winning a Grand Slam together, it does mean a lot."