New York: Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza clinched her third mixed doubles Grand Slam title as she and her partner Bruno Soares overcame a few anxiuous moments in the Match Tie break to win the US Open, here today.
The top seeded Indo-Brazilian pair squandered five straight championship points before scoring a 6-1 2-6 11-9 win over Abigail Spears from the USA and Santiago Gonzalez from Mexico in exactly 60 minutes.
Spears sent a backhand volley long after making it 9-9 from 4-9, as Sania and Soares heaved a sigh of relief.
It was first time that Sania and Soares were playing together as a pair.
“Playing with him is a lot of fun. He did not play with me all these years not sure why?,” Sania gushed after the win and confirmed that the pairing will continue for the Australian Open.
Sania's previous titles came with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi. They won Australian Open in 2009 and French Open in 2012.
The 27-year old had reached the Australian Open mixed doubles final this year also but ended runners-up with Romanian partner Horea Tecau.
Sania played well in the women's doubles also, making the semifinals with Zimbabwe's Cara Black.