Saina Mirza, the former World no. 1 in doubles discipline, made a stunning comeback by winning the Hobart International doubles title 2020. Returning from a two-year break, Sania lifted the WTA Hobart International trophy with her partner, Nadiia Kichenok, defeating Peng Shuai and Shuai Zhang, in straight sets, in the finals. The Indo-Ukraine pair, of Mirza and Kichenok, did not allow the opponents to have any kind of momentum and they wrapped up the match easily.
The unseeded Indo-Ukraine pair thwarted the second-seed Chinese pair, 6-4, 6-4 in one hour 21 minutes. It was a dream comeback for the 33-year-old in the Olympic year as she warmed up for the Australian Open in style.
The Indian ace was on a maternity break and did not compete on the WTA circuit in the entire 2018 and 2019 seasons after giving birth to her son, Izhaan.
It is Sania’s 42nd doubles title and the first after Brisbane International trophy in 2007, with an American partner, Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
The first set saw them tied at 4-4 and Sania Mirza and Nadiia Kichenok held their serves in the deciding game to go one set up in the final.
In the second set, Saina Mirza and Shuai Zhang started by breaking the Chinese pair’s serve in the first game and similarly in the next game which saw them leading 3-0. However, the Chinese pair broke the Indo-Ukraine’s serve in the next games taking the score to 3-2.
Despite the Chinese pair trailing one set behind, Saina Mirza and Shuai Zhang held their serve to move to a 4-2 lead. The Chinese pair won the next two games to make it 4-4.
The match with inconsistent service games, went on till the 9th game until Zhang Shuai and Peng Shuai conceded their services and their final slip-up allowed their opponents to serve for the title.
It was a dream come true moment for the former World no. 1, Sania Mirza. The win was not only important for her game but also her confidence which was not stable during the tournament. She has now joined the increasing tribe of no. 1 players who have chosen to make a comeback after childbirth with full commitment.
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