Sania and Hingis start 2016 with a bang, win Brisbane International
World No.1 women's doubles pair of Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis defeated the German pair of Angelique Kerber and Andrea Petkovic 7-5, 6-1 to win the title at the Brisbane International in the Queensland Tennis Centre on Friday.
It all looked too easy in the beginning. Within minutes into the match, the Indo-Swiss pair raced to a 2-0 lead. The Germans, who had partnered recently and entered the tournament as wild cards, looked shaky with Andrea Petkovic surrendering the first game cheaply to the top seeds.
The tables turned within minutes as Petkoic and Kerber looked the better team on the court with their smashes repeatedly breaking through Hingis and Mirza's defence. They took the lead in the next game after breaking Mirza, and Kerber held her serve to make it 4-2. The tables turned once again as Hingis and Mirza started attacking the net.
Sania and Hingis broke Andrea Petkovic in the next game, and with Hingis winning her serve, the Indo-Swiss pair were back on level terms. The deadlock continued for the next two games, and Hingis held her serve to take the game to 6-5. Petkovic, who was broken twice in the first set was given the duty of taking it to the decider, and she almost did it. The game went into deuce, and the top seeds held their nerves to pocket the closely-contested first set 7-5.
If the first set was a closely contested affair, then the second set proved to be a one-sided clash with Hingis and Sania out in full flow. Sania started the second set by winning her game to start on the front foot. Petkovic and Kerber were no match for the World No.1s as they raced to a 5-0 lead by breaking the Germans twice. The pair were a sight to watch as they effortlessly coordinated to cover all corners of the court. Petkovic avoided the 6-0 thrashing by winning her serve to allow Hingis to serve for the match. After some nervy moments with the game going into deuce, Hingis finally sealed their 10th title together with a winner.
The Indo-Swiss pair, who started their partnership at Indiana Wells last year, took their unbeaten run of games to 26 matches ahead of the first Grand Slam of the season. (Read: Will the Sania- Hingis phenomenon turn the spotlight on women's doubles?)
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