The pair, dubbed the "Spice Girls" because of their glamorous image off-court, repeated their 1999 Melbourne Park feat in fine style.

For Hingis, the win will serve as a timely boost before she plays Jennifer Capriati in the singles final.

On each of the three occasions Hingis has won the doubles - with three different partners - she has gone on to win the singles.

She successfully teamed up with Natasha Zvereva in 1997, Mirjana Lucic in 1998 before forging the "Spice Girls" pairing with Kournikova and lifting the Australian crown in '99.

Hingis and Kournikova actually split as a partnership in 2000 and were seeded eighth here.

But they seemed like a natural pairing in the first set, romping to a 6-2 victory.

The second set the saw the Slovak-Spanish pairing of Hantuchova and Sanchez-Vicario recover their poise, while Hingis and Kournikova buckled.

Hantuchova -- Wimbledon mixed doubles winner with Leos Friedl last year -- hit a series of astute lobs and the 13th seeds levelled the match on a tiebreak.

Hingis dropped her serve in the opening game of the decider but the Russian-Swiss pair stole back the break taking Sanchez-Vicario's serve.

Kournikova held for 2-1 and despite veteran Sanchez-Vicario's attempts to help settle 18-year-old Hantuchova in the next game, the teenager appeared to let the occasion get to her as she dropped serve.

And when the Spaniard herself was broken, Kournikova, given the chance to serve out for victory, made no mistake.

"I'd like to thank my partner Martina - she's been great," said Kournikova.