Bengaluru: Three players made India proud by winning titles. In pairing which is unique — the deft touch of the Indians and the precision of the Swiss — the warhorse in Leander Paes, stronger with the years, continued to defy his critics combining superbly with comeback queen Martina Hingis to win the mixed doubles crown in what has been an unforgettable Indian summer at Wimbledon.
If Paes and Hingis’ success story was one of resolve, the performance of Sania Mirza and Hingis, the top seeds in women’s doubles, who won the crown on Saturday, was one of sheer brilliance.
Hingis, the one time No.1 in tennis, is happy on the doubles circuit these days after returning to the courts two years ago but the Swiss star is on record that it is Paes’ magical hands at the net and Sania’s ferocious forehand from the back court that has fetched them success.
For the icing on the cake, better than strawberries on cream, India unearthed a new prospect in Sumit Nagal, who won the boys’ doubles crown with Vietnam’s Nam Hoang Ly in a re-run of Sania’s success story which began at the hallowed courts with her girls doubles title with Alisa Kleybanova 12 summers ago. The Tricolour flies proudly indeed.
