Indian challenge ends at US Open 2017 as the pair of Sania Mirza and Shuai Peng lost in straight sets in the semi-finals of women's doubles event. The Indo-Chinese duo lost 4-6, 4-6 against Martina Hingis and Chan Yung-Jan on Friday. Saina was the last Indian remaining in contention at year's last slam at the New York city.
This was the first time this year when the Indian ace had reached Grand Slam semi-final. She had previously beaten Timea Babos and Andrea Hlavackova with partner Shuai Peng in a gruelling two-hour quarterfinal to reach the last four stage. The fourth seeded Indo-Chinese pair dispatched the fifth seed Hungarian-Czech combo 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the quarter-final which lasted one hour and 56 minutes.
Sania has played with different partners at the Grand Slams in 2017 season. She had started the season by teaming up with Barbora Strycova. They had lost in the third round of the Australian Open to Eri Hozumi and Miyu Kato.
In the semifinal against Hingis and Yung-Jan, both Sania and Peng showed great confidence as they broke Hingis’ serve in the second game to race away to a 3-0 lead in the first set. However, the Swiss-Taiwanese duo staged a remarkable comeback and won the next four points.
Sania and Peng continued to struggle with their serve and they were broken again as Hingis-Chan won the first set 4-6.
Sania-Peng were let down by their service at a crucial time and they were broken yet again to trail 5-4. The experienced duo of Hingis-Chan calmly sealed the game and they won the second set to enter into the final of women's doubles at US Open 2017.
(With PTI Inputs)
