Australian Open mixed doubles final highlights: Sania Mirza-Horia Tecau lose match vs Kristina Mladenovic-Daniel Nestor

Catch highlights here of the Australian Open mixed doubles final between Sania Mirza-Horia Tecau and Kristina Mladenovic-Daniel Nestor.

 

11:59 (IST): So, Sania Mirza fails to capture her third Grand Slam title in her fourth mixed doubles major final but she certainly kept the Indian hopes alive till the last day at this year's Australian Open. She lost to the top seeds in the women's doubles draw but knocked out the defending champions in the mixed doubles before the final and will definitely be very proud of her performance. Can the Indians now put up a good show in the crucial Davis Cup tie against Chinese Taipei at Indore starting January 31?

 

 

11:48 (IST): Kristina Mladenovic: Sania and Tecau played a great tournament. Thanks Daniel for always being with me on court and teaching me great things. It is great to play with you and to get to know you as a person as well. Thanks to family, friends and fans.

11:46 (IST): Daniel Nestor after the win: I want to thank my partner for not making me feel the pressure of the male player in this team. I also want to thank the sponsors, fans, my parents and my team.

11:44 (IST): Horia Tecau, Sania's partner, after the loss: Our opponents deserved to win this title. I'd like to thank my team, the fans and the sponsors. Some time ago at the US Open, me and Sania played together and I played terribly. Thanks to her for standing by me. I'd like to play more mixed doubles finals with her.

 

 

11:34 (IST): India's Sania Mirza and Romania's Horia Tecau lose their mixed doubles final clash 3-6, 2-6 against France's Kristina Mladenovic and Canada's Daniel Nestor at the Australian Open.

11:30 (IST): Mirza-Tecau will now serve to stay in the match at 2-5. (3-6, 2-5). Mladenovic proves that she is not the weak link in this match by holding serve from a deciding point situation.

11:26 (IST): Horia Tecau gives the Indo-Romanian pair some hope after holding his serve. Mirza-Tecau still trail 2-4 though in the second set. (3-6, 2-4)

 

11:22 (IST): Daniel Nestor holds serve with a flourish, making it even harder for Mirza-Tecau to claw their way back into this match. The French-Canadian pair leads 4-1 in the second set. (6-3, 4-1)

11:19 (IST): Mirza-Tecau are slowly losing their way in this match. Sania loses her serve in the second set. Mladenovic-Nestor now lead 3-1. (6-3, 3-1)

 

11:15 (IST): Kristina Mladenovic continues to serve well. Mirza-Tecau trail 1-2 in the second set. (3-6, 1-2)

11:13 (IST): Horia Tecau makes a great serve out wide to give the Indo-Romanian pair their first game of the second set. It's 1-1. (3-6, 1-1)

11:10 (IST): Mirza-Tecau lose the first game of the second set after failing to capitalize on three break point opportunities. Trail 0-1. (3-6, 0-1)

 

11:04 (IST): Mirza-Tecau lose the first set 3-6 after 28 minutes. Horia Tecau fails to hold serve for the first time in the match.

10:59 (IST): Mirza-Tecau will serve to stay in the first set at 3-5 after Mladenovic holds her serve comfortably for the French-Canadian pair.

 

10:56 (IST): Sania Mirza loses her serve in the first set to give the French-Canadian pair a 4-3 advantage.

 

10:53 (IST): Sania Mirza and Horia Tecau show signs of haste in this game served by Daniel Nestor. It's 3-3 in the first set.

 

10:50 (IST): Mirza-Tecau still going strong. Sania's Romanian partner holds serve quickly and they maintain a 3-2 lead in the first set.

10:48 (IST): Kristina Mladenovic is in no mood to get broken early in the match and give the Indo-Romanian pair an advantage. She holds her serve to tie the score at 2-2 in the first set.

 

10:45 (IST): Sania Mirza holds her opening serve game to love in the first set. Mirza-Tecau lead 2-1.

 

10:42 (IST): Daniel Nestor holds serve for the French-Canadian pair. It's 1-1 in the first set.

10:39 (IST): Sania Mirza's Romanian partner Horia Tecau serves a great first game in the match. Mirza-Tecau lead 1-0 in the first set.

 

10:20 (IST): Ten minutes to go for players to take court at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park for this exciting mixed doubles final clash.

 

Match preview

The sixth seeded pair of India's Sania Mirza and Romania's Horia Tecau will be up against the unseeded pair of doubles veteran Canadian Daniel Nestor and France's Kristina Mladenovic when they play for the mixed doubles title at the Australian Open.

The match will be played at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park where Sania would be looking for her third mixed doubles Grand Slam title and her second at the Australian Open.

She won her first Grand Slam title with Mahesh Bhupathi in the 2009 Australian Open, partnering him in the mixed doubles and then won another mixed doubles title at the 2012 French Open, also with Bhupathi.

In the semifinals before this final match at the 2014 Australian Open, Sania and her partner Tecau defeated the defending champions Matthew Ebden and Jarmila Gajdosova from Australia 2-6, 6-3, 10-2 in a close contest.

Sania Mirza has remained the highest ranked Indian player for over ten years between 2003-2013 before she retired from the singles competition to make way for Ankita Raina at the top spot.

 

Sania's record in Grand Slam mixed doubles finals

2008 Australian Open (Runner-up) Partner: Mahesh Bhupathi
2009 Australian Open (Champion)  Partner: Mahesh Bhupathi
2012 French Open (Champion)  Partner: Mahesh Bhupathi