Sabalenka, a top 10 player with nine WTA singles titles, wants to focus on the singles at the majors but plans to combine with Mertens for some Premier-level doubles events.
The 22-year-old from Belarus was the dominant player on court as she and Mertens, the U.S. Open doubles champions in 2019, combined for a 6-2, 6-3 win over third-seeded Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic.
Second-seeded Sabalenka and Mertens wasted three championship points in an eight-minute last game. Sabalenka earned a fourth championship point with an ace and clinched the title when Siniakova sent a backhand wide.
Krejcikova and Siniakova were the Wimbledon and French Open women's doubles champions in 2018, but struggled against two players who each reached the fourth round of the Australian Open singles draw before losing to eventual semifinalists.
No. 7-ranked Sabalenka lost to 23-time major winner Serena Williams in three sets. Mertens, who won a title at a tuneup tournament the weekend before the Australian Open began, lost to Karolina Muchova.
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