Sania Mirza-Martina Hingis Start 2016 With a Bang, Win Brisbane International Title
Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis continued from where they left off in 2015 and they continued their wonderful form by defeating the German duo of Angelique Kerber and Andrea Petkovic in straight sets
Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis continued their dominant run in Women's doubles by winning yet another title at the start of 2016. Sania-Martina defeated the German duo of Angelique Kerber and Andrea Petkovic 7-5, 6-1 to win the Brisbane International Title at the Pat Rafter Arena on Sunday. (Sania Mirza-Martina Hingis Secure Year End World No.1 Ranking)
The Indo-Swiss Duo, who had won seven doubles titles and two grand slam titles in 2015, carried their wonderful form into 2016 with a clinical performance. (Sania Mirza-Martina Hingis Named International Tennis Federation World Champions)
The top seeds drew the first blood by breaking the rivals in the second game but the joy was short-lived as Kerber and Petkovic reeled off four straight games to take a 4-2 lead in the opening set.
Sania and Martina though were not perturbed, having defused such situations many times in the last few months. They went about their business calmly and restored the parity with another break.
Soon it was 4-4 and the Indo-Swiss combination held the ninth game, forcing Kerber and Petkovic to serve under pressure and remain alive in the set. The unseeded team though did not crack and stayed solid to make it 5-5.
Kerber and Petkovic again served at 5-6 to stretch it to a tie-breaker but offered two break chances to Sania and Martina and the top seeds obliged on second to nose ahead.
The top seeds controlled the game better in the second set, racing to a 3-0 lead by breaking their rivals in the second game.
It was a cakewalk for them from there, losing only one game before closing the match in their favour.
Sania-Martina have won 26 consecutive matches and this is their sixth consecutive title. It is the longest winning streak since Italians Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci's 25 in a row in 2012. Sara and Roberta had won five titles in a row, at Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, the French Open and 's-Hertogenbosch.
They are on course to beat the record of 28 consecutive wins in doubles set by Gigi Fernandez and Natasha Zvereva in 1994.