Leander Paes-Martina Hingis pose with the French Open mixed-doubles title trophy.
Leander Paes-Martina Hingis pose with the French Open mixed-doubles title trophy.
PARIS (Diya TV) — Leander Paes and Martina Hingis completed a career Grand Slam in mixed doubles after their defeat of Sania Mirza and Ivan Dodig in the French Open.
Paes and Hingis, who entered the tournament unseeded, emerged victorious in three-straight sets, 4-6, 6-4 and 10-8. It was the 10th mixed doubles title at a major tournament for India’s Paes, the fifth for Switzerland’s Hingis.
The 42-year-old Paes previously won Australian Open, U.S. Open and Wimbledon titles alongside Hingis in 2015.
For Paes, it was his 18th Grand Slam title and 10th in mixed doubles. For the 35-year-old Hingis, who is a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, the victory represented Grand Slam title No. 22 and her fifth in mixed doubles — Hingis captured her first mixed doubles title with Mahesh Bhupathi at the 2006 Australian Open.
When she arrived at Roland Garros, Hingis had won three straight majors with Mirza as her partner. However, the duo were defeated during the third round of the tournament to the Czech pair of Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova.
Despite being the oldest player on the court, Paes used the opportunity to display his trademark presence of mind and volley skills, putting away volleys from ferocious returns of both Sania and Dodig. His performance has surely staked his claim to be in India’s mixed doubles team at the upcoming Rio Olympics. Paes is seeking an unprecedented seventh Olympic Games after appearing in the 2012 London Games.
“I won my first Slam here in 1999 on this court,” Paes said from the Philippe Chatrier Court. “Today we have completed a team Slam. Martina, you are a fantastic partner, I love you like crazy,” he added.
Leander Paes and Martina Hingis fought well in the second set as they broke Sania Mirza-Ivan Dodig to take the lead.
