Australian Open Mixed Doubles Final, Highlights: Spears-Cabal Stun Sania-Dodig To Capture Title

The No.2 seeds Sania Mirza-Ivan Dodig were stunned 2-6, 4-6 in the final by unseeded pair of Abigail Spears-Juan Sebastian Cabal in the 2017 Australian Open mixed doubles final. The Indo-Croatian pair were under pressure from the outset and despite fighting back well in the second set, poor service games and unforced errors cost them dear. Sania, who has won three mixed doubles titles so far, the last being the 2014 US Open with Brazilian Bruno Soares, were looking for her first Grand Slam title with Dodig but failed to cross the last hurdle.

Get highlights of the 2017 Australian Open Mixed Doubles final here.

11:51 IST: That's it from us here. Do join us for the big men's singles final between golden oldies Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in about two hours time.

#Spears: "It is an amazing event and we as players do love coming here.

This one was for my Mum" #ausopen pic.twitter.com/X81Xb5ilua

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2017

11:43 IST: Sania Mirza will be disappointed. Not the best of performance from the Indo-Croatian pair. They never looked up for it.

11:41 IST: Cabal-Spears stun No.2 seeds Sania-Dodig to win the Australian Open mixed doubles title

Congratulations Abigail #Spears and @juanscabal #AusOpen 2017 mixed doubles champions! pic.twitter.com/CfEMicCJoH

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2017

11:39 IST: Cabal to serve for the mixed doubles title. Sania-Dodig need to break to stay alive.

11:38 IST: Another double fault and Spears-Cabal get the crucial break. They lead 5-4.

11:36 IST: Two break points for Spears-Cabal!

11:34 IST: Two double faults from Dodig!

11:33 IST: Spears holds serve to make as Spears-Cabal make it 4-4 in 2nd set.

11:30 IST: Double fault from Spears. It's 30-all on her serve.

11:28 IST: Spears-Cabal break Sania's serve to make it 3-4 vs Sania-Dodig in 2nd set

11:26 IST: Sania with a very poor forehand. Two break points for Spears-Cabal.

11:24 IST: Solid hold of serve from Cabal. The unseeded pair trail 2-4 now.

11:22 IST: The Indo-Croatian pair are having a much better time in the 2nd set. Dodig has upped his game and the results are clear to see.

11:21 IST: Dodig easily holds serve as Sania-Dog lead 4-1

11:19 IST: Spears-Cabal with some forceful play to make it 3-1. Solid tennis by the duo.

11:15 IST: Easy hold of serve for Sania. Mirza-Dodig race to 3-0 lead in the 2nd set.

11:14 IST: Sania-Dodig break Cabal's serve to take 2-0 lead in the 2nd set

11:11 IST: Finally some good tennis from Sania-Dodig. 30-all on Cabal's serve.

11:10 IST: Unforced error from Cabal gives the Indo-Croatian pair take the lead in the 2nd set.

11:10 IST: Saves the break point with an ace.

11:09 IST: Break point for Spears-Cabal!

11:08 IST: 30-all!! Again pressure on the Indo-Croatian team's serve.

11:07 IST: Dodig serving first in the 2nd set!

11:06 IST: That set lasted just 26 minutes! Sania-Dodig need to regroup and get their game on!

The Mixed Doubles Final is underway on RLA!

Spears/Cabal take the 1st set over Mirza/Dodig 6-2.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/an9E6VS22D

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2017

11:05 IST: Spears holds serve as Spears-Cabal win the 1st set 6-2 vs Sania-Dodig

11:04 IST: They fail to take it. It's deuce. Set point for Spears-Cabal.

11:03 IST: Break point for Sania-Dodig! Their first of the final.

11:02 IST: Dodig with a brilliant return and it's 0-30 on the unseeded team's serve. Opening for Sania and Dodig.

11:01 IST: Spears to serve for the first set!

11:00 IST: Sania-Dodig stay alive in 1st set as the Indian holds serve. They trail 2-5.

10:58 IST: Deuce on Sania's serve. Cabal is racing to volley the ball on every opportunity.

10:57 IST: Sania's serve is once again coming under pressure. 30-all!

10:56 IST: Cabal comfortably holds serve. Spears-Cabal lead 5-1 vs Sania-Dodig in 1st set. The American-Colombian team's serve has hardly come under pressure.

10:53 IST: Sania-Dodig finally get on the scoreboard as Dodig holds serve. They trail 1-4.

10:50 IST: Spears easily holds serve as Spears-Cabal take 4-0 lead vs Sania-Dodig in 1st set. This is a romp and was not expected. Sania-Dodig are the No.2 seeds but are struggling big time in the final.

10:48 IST: 30-15 on Spears' serve!

10:47 IST: Sania's serve is broken this time. Sluggish start for the Indo-Croatian pair. They trail 0-3

10:45 IST: Now, Sania's serve is under pressure. Break point again for the American-Colombian pair.

10:44 IST: Cabal comfortably holds serve as Spears-Cabal take 2-0 lead vs Sania-Dodig in 1st set

10:42 IST: Spears-Cabal break Dodig's serve in the first game. Poor start for the Indo-Croatian pair. They had started slowly in the semifinals as well.

10:41 IST: Double fault! First break point for Spears and Cabal.

10:40 IST: It's 30-all now!

10:39 IST: The Indo-Croatian pair are 0-30 down on their serve.

10:37 IST: Ivan Dodig is serving first!!

10:30 IST: The two teams are warming up!

10:19 IST: Sania had won the women's doubles Australian Open title with Martina Hingis in 2016 and the mixed doubles title here with Mahesh Bhupathi in 2009. This will be her fourth mixed doubles title overall if victorious in Melbourne.

10:18 IST: We are about 10 minutes away from the start of the match.

10:05 IST: After a Serena's historic show on Saturday, we have much to look forward to on Sunday, starting with Sania Mirza's quest for a 7th Grand Slam title.

10:03 IST: The final day of Australian Open promises to be a cracking one for the tennis world.

10:02 IST:  Hello and welcome to our live tennis blog for the all-important final of the mixed doubles of the Australian Open.

With Dodig, she had an opportunity to win last year when she reached the French Open final but lost to compatriot Leander Paes and her then women's doubles partner Martina Hingis in the summit clash.

It will be Sania's fifth final at the Australian Open. She was runner-up with Mahesh Bhupathi in 2008, and the pair triumphed the following year. She was runner-up in 2014 with Horia Tecau.

Sania is the lone Indian to have made all the way to the first Grand Slam final of the season as Paes, Rohan Bopanna, Purav Raja, Divij Sharan and juniors -- Zeel Desai and Siddhant Banthia -- all made early exits.