PM Modi congratulates Mirza-Hingis on US Open victory

Paes becomes the winningest man in Grand Slam mixed doubles history.

Between Leander and Hingis, there was 76 years on court. So yes, it has been an incredible year for me where I have won two slams and won biggest tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami but also to be No. 1 while doing all this.

“I won the doubles in ’98, and that was like finishing off the Grand Slam”, recalled Hingis.

For Dellacqua, it was her sixth trip to a women’s Grand Slam doubles final, and her sixth loss. This is back to back grand slam women’s doubles title for Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis pair, who has earlier won the Wimbledon as well.

The top-seeded duo of Hingis & Mirza hit 26 winners to just 14 unforced errors, and converted on five of 10 break points to move past Dellacqua & Shvedova in straight sets. She won the Australian Open in 2009 and the French Open in 2012, with Mahesh Bhupathi.

The unseeded Americans were cruising as they created a 4-1 cushion when they won both points on Hingis’ serve to grab the first mini-break.

In a topsy-turvy first set, the top seeds were broken twice.

As Mattek-Sands stepped up to serve with the score reading 6-4, 3-6, and 7-7 in the super tie-breaker, it was even Stevens, before Paes decided to stamp his authority on the proceedings. This is not to take the spotlight away from Paes and Mirza.

Kazakshtan’s Shvedova and Australia’s Dellacqua struggled to hold serve, making it too easy for Sania and Hingis. The Americans called for a review, which suggested that the ball was well in.

Hingis also won the mixed doubles alongside a partner from India, men’s doubles veteran Leander Paes. So tense she was guiding in overheads, Williams became more and more frustrated by Vinci’s defense and creative shot-making in the final two sets.

And here’s what Sania and Hingis had to say about their victory.

The final game of the women’s doubles championship will kick-off at 12 pm local (9:30 pm IST, 5 pm BST, 2 am AEST) as per the defined schedule. “If I don’t come up with a return but 10 double faults, he’s still there with me”.

Though Hingis again missed an easy volley at the net, Paes stayed cool under pressure. In the larger picture, India never had much to lose, given tennis stars play for individual glory, not national pride-except in the Olympics, maybe. Querrey and Mattek-Sands had signed up as a pair for the first time this tournament.

Of course, Hingis can’t play with Paes at the Olympics.

“We all felt like there was a little bit of nervousness, definitely, especially today because…it’s been a while, 18 years”, said Hingis, who won the 1998 U.S. Open with Jana Novotna. Hingis then teamed with tennis bombshell Anna Kournikova, calling their pairing the “Spice Girls” of tennis. There has been no looking back since then.