By Chris Oddo
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Photo Credit: AP Photo |
(June 7, 2012) -- Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza won the French Open mixed doubles title today in Paris with a 7-6(3), 6-1 victory over the Mexican-Polish duo of Santiago Gonzalez and Klaudia Jans-Ignacik. The win is the second Grand Slam title for Bhupathi and Mirza, and the eigth mixed doubles title for Bhupathi, who also has four Grand Slams doubles titles to his name.
"It's happened twice to me," said Bhupathi of playing a Grand Slam final on his birthday. "Both wins and both in Paris. Now we're going to celebrate."
The 38-year-old Bhupathi played brilliant tennis, controlling the net to knock off countless winners to keep Gonzalez and Jans-Ignacik out of sorts for much of the afternoon. After storming to a 7-3 first-set tiebreaker victory, the Indian duo, aided by Sania Mirza's aggressive baselining, cruised in the final set 6-1.
Bhupathi now owns two mixed doubles at each Grand Slam venue. He also won the Australian Open with Mirza in 2009, and has combined with six other women to win the others. Notable names among his partners have been Martina Hingis, who paired with Bhupathi to win the 2006 Australian Open, and Mary Pierce, who won the Wimbledon title with Bhupathi in 2005.
Other partners of Bhupathi's include Daniela Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama.
Bhupathi won his first French Open mixed doubles title with Rika Hiraki of Japan iin 1997.