# 1996 Australian Open – Women's doubles

The 1996 Australian Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts at Melbourne Park in Melbourne in Victoria in Australia. It was the 84th edition of the Australian Open and was held from 15 through 28 January 1996.
Jana Novotná and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario were the defending champions, but Novotná did not compete this year.
Sánchez Vicario partnered alongside Chanda Rubin and successfully defended her title, defeating Lindsay Davenport and Mary Joe Fernández 7–5, 2–6, 6–4 in the final. It was the first and only Grand Slam doubles title for Rubin, and the sixth and final Grand Slam doubles title (third and final Australian Open doubles title) for Sánchez Vicario, in their respective careers.

## Seeds

* Gigi Fernández / Natasha Zvereva (quarterfinals)
* Meredith McGrath / Larisa Neiland (semifinals)
* Lindsay Davenport / Mary Joe Fernández (final)
* Nicole Arendt / Manon Bollegraf (semifinals)
* Lori McNeil / Helena Suková (first round)
* Brenda Schultz-McCarthy / Rennae Stubbs (second round)
* Lisa Raymond / Gabriela Sabatini (quarterfinals)
* Chanda Rubin / Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (champions)
* Conchita Martínez / Patricia Tarabini (third round)
* Jill Hetherington / Kristine Radford (first round)
* Els Callens / Julie Halard-Decugis (third round)
* Martina Hingis / Iva Majoli (first round)
* Amanda Coetzer / Mariaan de Swardt (third round)
* Kristie Boogert / Nicole Bradtke (third round)
* Irina Spîrlea / Linda Wild (third round)
* Silvia Farina / Laura Golarsa (first round)

## Draw
### Key

* Q = Qualifier
* WC = Wild card
* LL = Lucky loser
* Alt = Alternate
* SE = Special exempt
* PR = Protected ranking
* ITF = ITF entry
* JE = Junior exempt
* w/o = Walkover
* r = Retired
* d = Defaulted
* SR = Special ranking

### Finals

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Gigi Fernández Natasha Zvereva | 1 | 7$^7$ | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Chanda Rubin Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 6 | 6$^3$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Chanda Rubin Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 6 | 6$^3$ | 6 | 8 | Chanda Rubin Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | Nicole Arendt Manon Bollegraf | 4 | 6 | 2 | | | | | |
| 4 | Nicole Arendt Manon Bollegraf | 6 | 2 | 7 | 4 | Nicole Arendt Manon Bollegraf | 4 | 6 | 2 | | | | | |
| | Yayuk Basuki Caroline Vis | 1 | 6 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Yayuk Basuki Caroline Vis | 1 | 6 | 5 | | | | | | 8 | Chanda Rubin Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 7 | 2 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Lindsay Davenport Mary Joe Fernández | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| 7 | Lisa Raymond Gabriela Sabatini | 3 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Lindsay Davenport Mary Joe Fernández | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| 3 | Lindsay Davenport Mary Joe Fernández | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Lindsay Davenport Mary Joe Fernández | 6 | 4 | 6 | 3 | Lindsay Davenport Mary Joe Fernández | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Meredith McGrath Larisa Neiland | 2 | 3 | | | | | | |
| | Elena Makarova Eugenia Maniokova | 0 | 6 | 3 | 2 | Meredith McGrath Larisa Neiland | 2 | 3 | | | | | | |
| 2 | Meredith McGrath Larisa Neiland | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Top half
#### Section 1

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| 1 | G Fernández N Zvereva | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | K Maleeva S Stafford | 3 | 3 | | 1 | G Fernández N Zvereva | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | L Ghirardi-Rubbi S Pitkowski | 6 | 4 | 6 | WC | A Ellwood N Pratt | 6 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | A Ellwood N Pratt | 4 | 6 | 8 | | | | | | 1 | G Fernández N Zvereva | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| WC | L McShea T Musgrave | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | 13 | A Coetzer M de Swardt | 5 | 2 | | | | | |
| | A Dechaume-Balleret S Testud | 6 | 6 | | | A Dechaume-Balleret S Testud | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | P Shriver E Smylie | 3 | 6 | 1 | 13 | A Coetzer M de Swardt | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | A Coetzer M de Swardt | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | G Fernández N Zvereva | 1 | 7$^7$ | 4 |
| 16 | S Farina L Golarsa | 3 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | 8 | C Rubin A Sánchez Vicario | 6 | 6$^3$ | 6 |
| | A Huber K Kschwendt | 6 | 4 | 6 | | A Huber K Kschwendt | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | L Němečková D Szabová | 2 | 7 | 6 | | L Němečková D Szabová | 3 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Grzybowska A Olsza | 6 | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | A Huber K Kschwendt | 0 | 5 | | | | | |
| | K Godridge K Sharpe | 5 | 6$^4$ | | | | | | | 8 | C Rubin A Sánchez Vicario | 6 | 7 | | | | | |
| | E deLone A Keller | 7 | 7$^7$ | | | E deLone A Keller | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| WC | S Drake-Brockman J Taylor | 4 | 4 | | 8 | C Rubin A Sánchez Vicario | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | C Rubin A Sánchez Vicario | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| 4 | N Arendt M Bollegraf | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Paz R Simpson | 2 | 3 | | 4 | N Arendt M Bollegraf | w/o | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Å Carlsson C Cristea | 6 | 2 | 1 | | K Nagatsuka A Sugiyama | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | K Nagatsuka A Sugiyama | 0 | 6 | 6 | | | | | 4 | N Arendt M Bollegraf | 6 | 2 | | | | | | |
| | I Demongeot L Pleming | 2 | 1 | | | | | | 9 | C Martínez P Tarabini | 3 | 3$^r$ | | | | | | |
| | R McQuillan C Porwik | 6 | 6 | | | R McQuillan C Porwik | 3 | 6$^3$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| | L Courtois N Feber | 6$^0$ | 4 | | 9 | C Martínez P Tarabini | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | C Martínez P Tarabini | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | N Arendt M Bollegraf | 6 | 2 | 7 |
| 12 | M Hingis I Majoli | 7 | 0 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | Y Basuki C Vis | 1 | 6 | 5 |
| | M Saeki Y Yoshida | 5 | 6 | 6 | | M Saeki Y Yoshida | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Y Basuki C Vis | 6 | 6 | | | Y Basuki C Vis | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | R Dragomir J Kruger | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | Y Basuki C Vis | 6$^3$ | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | R Grande A Temesvári | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | N Dahlman C Wood | 7$^7$ | 4 | 2 | | | | | |
| | N Dahlman C Wood | 6 | 6 | | | N Dahlman C Wood | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | E Hakami D Scott | 6 | 0 | 1 | 6 | B Schultz-McCarthy R Stubbs | 6$^4$ | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | B Schultz-McCarthy R Stubbs | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half
#### Section 3

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| 7 | L Raymond G Sabatini | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Grossman T Whitlinger-Jones | 2 | 0 | | 7 | L Raymond G Sabatini | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Cacic C Papadáki | 2 | 6 | 1 | | S Appelmans M Oremans | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Appelmans M Oremans | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | 7 | L Raymond G Sabatini | 6 | 7 | | | | | |
| | P Schwarz K Studeníková | 6 | 6 | | | | | | 14 | K Boogert N Bradtke | 0 | 5 | | | | | |
| | E Likhovtseva H Nagano | 3 | 2 | | | P Schwarz K Studeníková | 0$^r$ | | | | | | | | | | |
| | V Lake L Poruri | 6$^2$ | 5 | | 14 | K Boogert N Bradtke | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | K Boogert N Bradtke | 7$^7$ | 7 | | | | | | | | | | 7 | L Raymond G Sabatini | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| 15 | I Spîrlea L Wild | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 3 | L Davenport MJ Fernández | 6 | 4 | 6 |
| | R Bobková P Langrová | 3 | 1 | | 15 | I Spîrlea L Wild | 7 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | K-A Guse P Hy-Boulais | 6 | 6 | | | K-A Guse P Hy-Boulais | 5 | 6$^5$ | | | | | | | | | |
| | W Probst C Singer | 3 | 4 | | | | | | 15 | I Spîrlea L Wild | 5 | 0 | | | | | |
| | K de Weille S Noorlander | 4 | 3 | | | | | | 3 | L Davenport MJ Fernández | 7 | 6 | | | | | |
| | M Lindström M Strandlund | 6 | 6 | | | M Lindström M Strandlund | 6$^5$ | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | M Murić D van Roost | 1 | 0 | | 3 | L Davenport MJ Fernández | 7$^7$ | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | L Davenport MJ Fernández | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 4

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| 5 | L McNeil H Suková | 6 | 6$^6$ | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | N Miyagi S Reece | 2 | 7$^8$ | 6 | | N Miyagi S Reece | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| | T Križan R Zrubáková | 1 | 6$^1$ | | | C Barclay J Byrne | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | C Barclay J Byrne | 6 | 7$^7$ | | | | | | | C Barclay J Byrne | 4 | 2 | | | | | |
| | M Mróz J Watanabe | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | E Makarova E Maniokova | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | E Melicharová H Vildová | 6 | 6 | | | E Melicharová H Vildová | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | E Makarova E Maniokova | 6 | 6 | | | E Makarova E Maniokova | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | J Hetherington K Radford | 3 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | E Makarova E Maniokova | 0 | 6 | 3 |
| 11 | E Callens J Halard-Decugis | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 2 | M McGrath L Neiland | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| | R Hiraki S-h Park | 2 | 3 | | 11 | E Callens J Halard-Decugis | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | V Csurgó N Kijimuta | 6 | 6 | | | V Csurgó N Kijimuta | 5 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | A Fusai K Habšudová | 4 | 4 | | | | | | 11 | E Callens J Halard-Decugis | 2 | 4 | | | | | |
| | A Frazier K Po | 6 | 7$^8$ | | | | | | 2 | M McGrath L Neiland | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| | Y Kamio F Labat | 4 | 6$^6$ | | | A Frazier K Po | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | S Cecchini L Garrone | 3 | 4 | | 2 | M McGrath L Neiland | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | M McGrath L Neiland | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |