Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur were the defending champions, but lost in the semifinals to Katarina Srebotnik and Ai Sugiyama.
Yan Zi and Zheng Jie were the defending champions but Zheng did not compete. Yan partnered with Peng Shuai but lost in the quarterfinals to Alicia Molik and Mara Santangelo.
Shinobu Asagoe and Ai Sugiyama were the defending champions. They were both present but did not compete together.
Asagoe partnered with Tathiana Garbin, but lost in the semifinals to Conchita Martínez and Virginia Ruano Pascual.
Sugiyama partnered with Daniela Hantuchová, but lost in the semifinals to Anna-Lena Grönefeld and Martina Navratilova.
Martina Hingis and Nathalie Tauziat were the defending champions, but chose not to participate that year.
Julie Halard-Decugis and Ai Sugiyama were the defending champions but only Sugiyama competed that year with Nicole Arendt.
Anna Kournikova and Natasha Zvereva were the defending champions but did not compete that year.
Serena and Venus Williams defeated Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suárez in the final, 4–6, 6–4, 6–3 to win the women's doubles tennis title at the 2003 Australian Open. It was their second Australian Open title together and sixth major title together overall.
Serena and Venus Williams defeated Lindsay Davenport and Corina Morariu in the final, 6–2, 4–6, 6–4 to win the women's doubles tennis title at the 2001 Australian Open. It was the Williams sisters' fourth major doubles title, and they completed the career Golden Slam in doubles with the win.
Jana Novotná was the defending champion, but she retired from tennis earlier in the year.
Tathiana Garbin and Rita Grande were the defending champions. Garbin did not participate, whilst Grande partnered Emmanuelle Gagliardi, losing in the first round.
Serena and Venus Williams were the defending champions but withdrew in the third round.
2001 Italian Open women's doubles took place May 14–20, 2001.
Martina Hingis and Mary Pierce were the defending champions, but neither participated in this tournament.
Donald Johnson and Kimberly Po-Messerli were the defending champions but lost in the quarterfinals to Leoš Friedl and Daniela Hantuchová.
Julie Halard-Decugis and Ai Sugiyama were the defending champions, but did not compete this year.
Silvia Farina Elia and Rita Grande were the defending champions, but Farina Elia did not compete this year. Grande teamed up with Sabine Appelmans and lost in semifinals to Catherine Barclay and Karina Habšudová.
Fabiola Zuluaga was the defending champion, but lost in second round to runner-up Tathiana Garbin.
Tathiana Garbin and Angelique Widjaja were the defending champions, but Widjaja did not compete this year. Garbin teamed up with Caroline Schneider and lost in quarterfinals to tournament winners Petra Mandula and Patricia Wartusch.
Cara Black and Elena Likhovtseva were the defending champions, but were forced to withdraw in their semifinals match.
Tathiana Garbin and Janette Husárová were the defending champions, but none competed this year. Husárová chose to compete at Charleston in the same week.
Tathiana Garbin 
Catherine Barclay 
