Rediff India Abroad
 Rediff India Abroad Home  |  All the sections

Search:



The Web

India Abroad




Newsletters
Sign up today!

Article Tools
Email this article
Top emailed links
Print this article
Contact the editors
Discuss this article
Home > Sports > Tennis > Report


Bhupathi-Hingis win Australian Open

January 29, 2006 12:43 IST
Last Updated: January 29, 2006 13:46 IST


India's doubles specialist Mahesh Bhupathi and former world number one Martina Hingis shocked sixth seeds Daniel Nestor of Canada and Russia's Elena Likhovsteva to win the Australian Open mixed doubles title in Melbourne on Sunday.

Martina Hingis (left) and Mahesh BhupathiWild card entrants Hingis and Bhupathi produced a dominant display of tennis to win 6-3, 6-3 in just 65 minutes.

Bhupathi has now won 10 Grand Slam titles, while Hingis took her Grand Slam tally to 15. Today's success with Bhupathi was her first Grand Slam mixed doubles title.

Hingis, making a comeback to Grand Slam tennis, had reached the women's singles quarter-finals in her first appearance since injury forced her into premature retirement in 2002.

The Swiss won five Grand Slam singles titles, including three straight Australian crowns from 1997-99, and was also a leading doubles player.

She won 36 doubles titles before retiring, including nine Grand Slams, but rarely played mixed doubles.

"If everyone was asking me why I came back, these are definitely the occasions...," Hingis said after the victory.

"To Mahesh, thank you very much. You took a huge risk because no one was sure how good I was going to be; thanks for taking the courage and playing with me," said Hingis.

This was Bhupathi's third straight mixed doubles Grand Slam victory after winning Wimbledon and US Open with France's Mary Pierce and Slovakia's Daniel Hantuchova respectively in 2005.

He is one of the hottest properties on the mixed doubles circuit, having won six mixed doubles titles with six different partners.

Bhupathi's Grand Slam titles:
1997: French Open mixed doubles with Rika Hiraki of Japan
1999: French Open men's doubles with Leander Paes
1999: Wimbledon men's doubles with Leander Paes
1999: US Open mixed doubles with Ai Sugiyama of Japan
2001: French Open men's doubles with Paes
2002: Wimbledon mixed doubles with Elena Likhovtseva of Russia
2002: US Open men's doubles with Max Mirnyi
2005: Wimbledon mixed doubles with Mary Pierce.
2005: US Open mixed doubles with Daniela Hantuchova.
2006: Australian Open mixed doubles with Martina Hingis.



Share your comments


 What do you think about the story?




Read what others have to say:


Number of User Comments: 8




Sub: Congratulations.

Well done.


Posted by Dr. Cajetan Coelho





Sub: Bhupati & Hingis rule

Congratulations to both. A fantastic start to 2006. Mahesh for delivering consistent grand slam wins for India and Hingis for a great come back. Wishing ...


Posted by pragya majumder





Sub: Praise

I think Mahesh Bhupathi is one of the greats out there in Tennis in Doubles version.When the two greats combined,then there was no chance of ...


Posted by Gurwinkle





Sub: Federer & Bhupati share a unique distinction...3 slams in a row...

Federer & Bhupati share a unique distinction...3 slams in a row... SINGLES (MEN) 2005 - Wimbledon Champ - Federer 2005 - US Champ - Federer ...


Posted by Ashutosh Shukla





Sub: Bhupathi-hingis win

My heartfelt congratulations to Ma-Hi duo!! Mahesh has got point to prove himself why he is being called Mixed Doubles Specialist! Apart from winning matches ...


Posted by satish kumar renikunta




Disclaimer


Advertisement






Copyright © 2006 Rediff.com India Limited. All Rights Reserved.