Aus Open: Hesh-Sania win mixed doubles

Dynamic Indian duo Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi eased to the Australian Open mixed doubles title on Sunday.

The Indian pair clinically disposed of Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy and Israel's Andy Ram 6-3 6-1 in only 55 minutes at the Rod Laver Arena to seal their first ever mixed doubles title as a pair.

The duo were rarely in trouble as they eased to their straight sets victory.

The impressive Bhupathi, ably assisted by Mirza, 22, broke Dechy's serve in the opening set, then went on to break their opponents' serve twice more in the second.

Bhupathi, who excelled at the net throughout the encounter, now has seven mixed doubles Grand Slam titles under his belt with different partners.
Sunday's win will go some way to easing the pain after he and Mark Knowles from the Bahamas lost the men's doubles final to Bob and Mark Bryan. Bhupathi's last mixed doubles Grand Slam was the Australian Open in 2006 when he had partnered Swiss ace Martina Hingis.

The win in Melbourne was Mirza's first Grand Slam title since she partnered Russia's Alisa Kleybanova to win the 2003 Wimbledon junior doubles crown.

"It's been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster for me this weekend," said Bhupathi.

"I want to thank all the Indians - we are very lucky that there are so many millions supporting us, not just here but back at home."

India's success in the mixed doubles completes, coupled with Bhupathi's appearance in the men's doubles, complete an exellent tournament for the country after 16-year-old Yuki Bhambri oin the boy's junior championship on Saturday.

ESS

Finally Mirza does something worthwhile other than shaking those tits of hers