Sania loses in US Open doubles semis, Indian challenge ends

NEW DELHI: Sania Mirza and her Chinese partner Peng Shuai suffered heartbreak in the US Open 2017 as they lost 4-6, 4-6 to Martina Hingis and Chan Yung-Jan in the semi-final of the women’s doubles tournament on Friday. With Sania’s loss, the Indian challenge in Flushing Meadows ended.

Sania and Peng had come through a gruelling two-hour quarterfinal but they played with confidence at the start of the first set as they broke Hingis’ serve in the second game to race away to a 3-0 lead in the first set. However, the Swiss-Taiwanese duo staged a remarkable comeback and won the next four points.

Sania and Peng continued to struggle with their serve and they were broken again as HingisChan won the first set 4-6.

In the second set, it was the case of missed opportunities for the Indo-Chinese duo. After breaking Hingis-Chan in the second game, Sania-Peng raced away to a 3-1 lead but once again they squandered the advantage. Hingis-Chan broke back and levelled the game at 4-4.

Sania-Peng were let down by their service at a crucial time and they were broken yet again to trail 5-4. Hingis-Chan calmly sealed the game and they won the second set to enter into the final.

Hingis, who won the 2015 US Open women’s doubles title with Sania, will now play the winner of the other semi-final featuring Lucie Hradecká-Kate ina Siniaková vs Lucie Šafá ová-Barbora Strýcová.