Sony Open doubles win gives Martina Hingis first title in 7 years

Miami, March 31 (IANS/EFE): Switzerland’s Martina Hingis walked away with a share of the women’s doubles championship Sunday at the Sony Open in Key Biscayne, Florida, winning her first title in seven years on the WTA Tour.

The 33-year-old Hingis, a former world No. 1 who quit tennis after testing positive for cocaine, and Germany’s Sabine Lisicki defeated the Russian team of Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina 4-6, 6-4, 10-5 in Sunday’s doubles final at the Crandon Park Tennis Center.

Hingis, a five-time Grand Slam singles champion, retired after testing positive for cocaine at Wimbledon in 2007 and receiving a two-year suspension.

She resumed playing doubles last summer, coaching and teaming up with Lisicki on the tour.

The Sony Open is one of the biggest hard-court events on the ATP and WTA calendars.