Perfect partnership Hingis and Mirza clinch doubles title
Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis prove the perfect pair as they claim doubles title
Cocky? So what?
World No. 1 duo Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza threw down the gauntlet to all comers after they won the women's doubles at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore Presented by SC Global.
In a match that lasted just 43 minutes at the Singapore Indoor Stadium yesterday afternoon, they beat Garbine Muguruza and Carla Suarez Navarro 6-0, 6-3.
Partnering each other for only their first season, Hingis and Mirza are now 9-1 in finals, including wins at Wimbledon and US Open, and are unbeaten in 22 matches.
After their latest triumph, Mirza, 28, and India's most successful female tennis player, said: "Nine months is a long time for people to figure out how we play.
"It's just that we are able to lift our games to a certain extent... we are playing really well.
"When someone goes into fourth gear, we try and find that fifth gear, and we have been able to do that.
"At the risk of sounding cocky, we are playing the best tennis out there and that's why we are winning this much.
"Will we be able to do that next year, only time can answer. Right now, I feel we are able to do it."
They certainly dominated their opponents from start to finish.
Quite aptly nicknamed fire and ice, with Mirza in fiery red and Hingis in pastel green, they dovetailed each other beautifully on court.
Mirza absolutely pummelled the opposition into submission with her fearsome forehands, while Hingis was an assured presence at the net.
After serving up a bagel in the first set, they continued delivering more sumptuous lobs and volleys in the second to collect the US$500,000 ($700,000) winners' cheque, before rewarding themselves with some cupcakes at the post-match press conference.
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Hingis, the 35-year-old Swiss with 20 Grand Slam singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles since her first in 1996, said: "We are not scared of anything.
"We have been thrown different things and we were always able to find a solution and a winning formula.
"We were down 5-2 in the third set at Wimbledon and ended up winning, we were 5-0 down against the Chan sisters and ended up winning."
Vanquished duo Muguruza and Navarro were gracious in defeat by a pair they have never faced until yesterday. Refusing to cite fatigue as an excuse, they were generous in their praise for the winners.
Navarro earned hearty applause from the crowd when she looked at Hingis and Mirza and said: "Now I know why you are No. 1."
Muguruza, who also reached the singles semi-finals, laughed and added: "They are No. 1 for a freaking reason.
"Sania has the power, Martina has the experience... they seem really motivated with each other and have good communication.
"Put these together, it makes a good team."
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