Why settle for one Wimbledon title when you can have two in one weekend? That’s what Martina Hingis did, giving the Wimbledon Roof something to cheer about as she completed both finals under cover.
On Saturday she and Sania Mirza mounted a mighty comeback against Elena Vesnina and Ekaterina Makarova, coming from a set down 5-7 7-6(4) 7-5. It gave Mirza her first Grand Sla doubles title, which in itself is a fantastic achievement.
After splitting sets, Hingis and Mirza were up against it 2-5 down in the decider, but battled back to 5-5, at which point it was roof time! They came back invigorated, breaking the Russians once more before serving it out.
For Hingis, on her second come-back, after some horrendous injuries, it was a remarkable moment.
Mirza said: ”When we came back out at 5-all, we had goose-bumps. The energy on the court, we were getting a standing ovation, it was just unbelievable. We both knew this is what we play for, work for – this energy. I think I’m speaking for both of us when I say we feel privileged to be here.”
“It’s definitely the crowd who made us win this match in the end,” Hingis commented.
So, if you are keeping up at the back there – Hingis won her 10th Grand Slam doubles title (her first since the 2002 Australian Open with Anna Kournikova) and Mirza became the first Indian woman to win a Grand Slam doubles title, as well as cementing their status as the No. 1 ranked team in the world right now.
And then there were two – Hingis was part of a Swiss-Indian duo once more when she came out under the roof (again – no really do keep up at the back) with Leander Paes after the men’s singles final to totally obliterate Timea Babos and Alexander Peya.
This is now her second mixed title with Paes and she is now the first player to win the doubles and the mixed at Wimbledon since 2004, and it brought her tally to 18 titles – five singles, 10 doubles and three mixed.
She said: “Today I had a great night after last night, so… a good night’s sleep, and I was ready to go all the way in another final today. With Leander we played World Team Tennis for the last two years. I’m already looking forward to playing together again in two weeks.
“And with Sania, we only started in March this year. But since then it’s been a great ride for me. I already feel like a quarter Indian. I’ve been to India three times already, last November, in February – no, the fourth time actually. Meeting the Prime Minister and everything.”
“Leander is just a great person who I know is always a great help, whether it’s practice or off the court. We make each other better. It’s even more important to get along off the court than on the court.”
As far as come-backs go, this one sure has legs, and Hingis will now eye up the US Open with both Mirza and Paes with a good degree of confidence.
Topics: AELTC, Leander Paes, London, Martina Hingis, Mixed Doubles, Sania Mirza, Sports, Wimbledon 2015
MAGICAL @mhingis DOES THE DOUBLE-DOUBLE #Wimbledon2015 – GLOBAL CHICK GETS DOUBLE VISION!- http://t.co/mfxdylRdWq #Hingis @Leander #tennis