Sania storms into Hobart International title clash
HOBART: Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza cruised into the women’s doubles final of the Hobart International with Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok here on Friday.
Sania and Kichenok sailed past the Slovenian-czech pair of Tamara Zidansek and Marie Bouzkova 7-6(3), 6-2 in the semifinal contest that lasted one hour and 24 minutes.
The fifth-seeded Indo-ukrainian combination will lock horns with second seeds Shuai Peng and Shuai Zhang of China. The Chinese pair got a walkover after Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens and Alison Van Uytvanck conceded the other semi-final match because of injury.
While Sania and Kichenok had to fight hard in the opening set, the second set was a cakewalk for the combination. The first set was a tough contest between the two pairs, bringing the tie-breaker into the equation after it was level at 6-6.
In the tie-breaker, Sania and Kichenok upped their game by a few notches to outsmart their opponents and take the lead. The second set was a no contest as
Saina and Kichenok broke their opponents thrice—in the second, sixth and eighth game—to easily pocket the set and a place in the summit clash. Saina and Kichenok got 11 break chances out of which they converted four, while their opponents utilised two out of the five break chances that came their way.
The 33-year-old Sania is returning to WTA circuit after a two-year maternity break.
PRAJNESH BOWS OUT
MELBOURNE:PRAJNESH Gunneswaran failed to make the main draw of the Australian Open after losing in straight sets to Ernests Gulbis of Latvia in the final qualifying round here on Friday.
Prajnesh, ranked 122nd in the world, lost 6-7(2), 2-6 to Gulbis in his final round qualifying match. No Indian player will thus be in the singles category of this Australian Open.