Australian Open | Mixed day for India as Paes advances & Mirza exits
Leander Paes and partner Martina Hingis got off to a winning start in mixed doubles, but fourth-seeded Sania Mirza and Barbora Strycova lost in women’s doubles at the Australian Open on Sunday in what turned out to be a mixed day for India at the season-opening grand slam.
Veteran Paes and Swiss ace Hingis eased past Destanee Aiava and Marc Polmans 6-4, 6-3 in their opening match to move into the round-of-16, taking just 51 minutes to dismantle the local pair, with two aces to boot.
Doubles world No 1 Mirza lost in the third round as she and Strycova went down to unseeded Japanese pair of E Hozumi and M Kato 3-6, 6-2, 2-6 in one hour and 53 minutes.
The Hyderabadi ace will continue her challenge in the mixed doubles event with Croat Ivan Dodig. Mirza and Dodig and Rohan Bopanna and Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada won their opening rounds on Saturday.
Mirza-Dodig will lock horns with the winner of the clash between Chinese-Austria duo of Saisai Zheng and Alexander Peya and theÂ
