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Sydney, Jan 16 (IANS): The Indo-American pair of Sania Mirza and Bethanie Mattek-Sands defeated top-seeded Americans Abigail Spears and Raquel Kops-Jones 6-3, 6-3 to win the women's doubles title at the Sydney International tennis tournament here Friday.
This was Sania's first doubles title of the season and 23rd of her career. The Indo-American duo needed 69 minutes to complete the victory.
The victory, fifth for the pair together, should boost their confidence ahead of the Australian Open, starting January 19. The duo earned 470 ranking points each and received $39,000 as prize money.
Sania's compatriot, veteran men's doubles player Leander Paes was in fine form too, reaching the finals of the Heineken Open tournament in Auckland Friday. The 41-year-old Indian, teaming up with South African Raven Klaasen, defeated the pair of Austrian Alexander Peya and Brazilian Bruno Soares 3-6, 6-3,10-4.
They will face the pair of Englishman Dominic Inglot and Romanian Florin Mergea Saturday, who beat the team of Brazilian Marcelo Melo and Belarusian Max Mirnyi 6-4, 3-6, 14-12.
