There were surprise winners in both of last week's doubles events, as Tamarine Tanasugarn and Marina Erakovic were victorious in Pattaya City and Iveta Benesova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova were in the winner's circle in Paris.

Although Tanasugarn fell in the final in singles, she can take solace in her second straight doubles title at the PTT Pattaya Open (she won last year alongside Yaroslava Shvedova), which was secured with a 75 61 defeat of another unseeded duo, Russians Anna Chakvetadze and Ksenia Pervak. Tanasugarn and Erakovic were playing together for the first time on Tour, although they did win the only ITF event they played in together last year in Japan. Tanasugarn, who now has seven Sony Ericsson WTA Tour doubles titles to her name, and Erakovic, who has four, did not drop a set all week, including in their semifinal victory over No.1 seeds Anastasia and Arina Rodionova.

Second-seeded Czechs Benesova and Zahlavova Strycova were also unlikely champions, but it was a hollow victory, as No.1 seeds and defending champs Cara Black and Liezel Huber pulled out of the final of the Open GDF SUEZ because of Black's viral illness and bleeding nose. Benesova and Zahlavova Strycova now each have six Tour doubles titles, with three of them coming together. In addition to Paris, they won Luxembourg last year and Stockholm in 2008. Black and Huber, whose year so far consists of two titles and two runner-up showings, did not drop a set en route to the final.