Sania wins title at Hobart on comeback from 2-year break
HOBART: In a dream start to her second innings after a two-year break, Sania Mirza lifted the WTA Hobart International trophy with partner Nadiia Kichenok after edging out Shaui Peng and Shuai Zhang in the final, here on Saturday. The unseeded Indoukrainian pair pipped the second seed Chinese team 6-4, 6-4 in one hour 21 minutes.
Playing her first tournament after giving birth to son Izhaan, the 33-year-old Sania has begun well in the Olympic year as she warmed up for the Australian Open in style.
It is Sania’s 42nd WTA doubles title and first since Brisbane International trophy in 2007 with American partner Bethanie Mattek-sands.
Sania and Nadiia began by breaking the Chinese players in the very first game of the match but only to drop serve in the next. The two pairs played close games towards the end and at 4-4, 40-all, Sania and Nadiia got the crucial break, earning the opportunity to serve out the set.
The Indo-ukraine team raised its game when it mattered, at 4-4 in the second set, as it broke Peng and Zhang for one final time in the ninth and served out the match in the next game.
Sania and Nadiia split USD 13580 as prize money and eared 280 ranking points each for their winning effort.
There was not much rustiness but just the initial nervousness, which a “pleasantly surprised” Sania shook off to win the title.
“It’s something I did not expect totally, so to say, but I am excited to be able to do this in my first tournament on comeback,” Sania said from Melbourne.
“I honestly thought I would be a bit more rustier than I was. I was pleasantly surprised that I was not as rusty as I thought. But there are things I can improve upon and that is what make a champion. You always want to get better in what you are doing, no matter how well you do.”