Mirza Gets Another Shot at Australian Mixed Doubles Title

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 27: Sania Mirza of India and Ivan Dodig of Croatia talk tactics against Samantha Stosur and Sam Groth of Australia in their mixed doubles semifinal match on day 12 of the 2017 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 27, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Mirza and Ivan Dodig reached the final after ending the hopes of local pair Sam Groth and Samantha Stosur 6-4, 2-6, 10-5 in Friday’s semifinals on Rod Laver Arena.

Mirza won the 2009 Australian Open mixed doubles title with fellow Indian Maheshi Bhupathi. She reached the 2016 French Open final with Dodig, losing to Martina Hingis and Leander Paes.

Groth and Stosur squandered a 4-2 lead, surrendering four successive games to lose the opening set, but the Australian pair rallied strongly to send the match into a deciding tiebreak set.

Second-seeded Mirza and Dodig seized control when Groth’s booming serve misfired on a couple of crucial points and the powerful Australian even gave up a critical double-fault.

Original author: AP