Raymond and Stubbs, together again...

As you always wanted to see them.

Recently, a reader tipped me off to the rumor of a Raymond/Stubbs reunion, but I didn't want to say anything until I had confirmation. Was this inevitable, or is it just what comes of another big turnover in women's doubles?

For those who are new to women's tennis, or who have just stopped keeping up with doubles, here is the short version:

In 2000, Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs won the Australian Open, the first of three majors they would win as a team. They also won the 2001 Sony Ericsson Championships. After the team split, Raymond played with various partners, then settled on Sam Stosur, with whom she also won a number of titles, including two majors.

In the meantime, Stubbs played with various partners, then formed a stable team with Cara Black. They won six titles, including Wimbledon. Stubbs then played with Kveta Peschke, and they won four titles.

At the beginning of 2009, Stosur announced that she and Stubbs would play doubles together, but only during the Australian season. That idea went out the window, and they remained a team all year. Raymond then teamed with Peschke, but then Peschke sustained a serious injury and could not play for much of the season. Stosur and Stubbs did not win any titles, but they qualified for the Sony Ericsson Championships.

The word is that Stosur, a very accomplished doubles player, wants to concentrate on singles now that she has finally made a singles breakthrough. I have no word yet on her doubles schedule.

"We’re both on the same page, trying to be aggressive, and when we’re both in at the net it’s pretty hard to get the ball through us or around us because most people would consider us two of the better volleyers in the world," says Stubbs.

They won't get any disagreement about that.