Mirza/Rodionova bounce over Chan sisters in the title-round – PTT Pattaya Open 2012
Top seeded junction, India’s Sania Mirza and Australia’s Anastasia Rodionova, made an epic comeback from a set down to outclass the Taiwanese tandem, Hao-Ching Chan and Yung-Jan Chan, in three sets at the PTT Pattaya Open 2012 on Sunday. They manipulated
a 3-6, 6-1, 10-8 victory over the Taiwanese pair to lift their maiden title together at this hard court tournament held in Pattaya City, Thailand.
The Indian-Aussie duo found their rhythm in the second set and hit back in the final set to pull out the success in almost an hour long marathon. They lost their serve once but broke the fourth seeds’ serve twice to earn the spotlight.
The Chan sisters assertively entered the opening set and jumped to a 3-0 lead with a break of serve. The lower seeds brushed off the only breakpoint they encountered and kept remaining serves to bag the opener with a 6-3 win.
Mirza and Rodionova went out of control in the following set. They perfected their co-ordination and went on a five games rampage before the Taiwanese could hold on. The Indo-Aussie team then held their serve once more and sealed the equaliser by earning
a breadstick.
The winning combination of Mirza and Rodionova lost the track again in the super tie-breaker and subsequently went 4-0 down. However, they counterattacked with a fitting reply and eventually clinched the decider with a 10-8 score line.
All in all, the top seeds manifested a lower first serve share of 73 percent as opposed to their opponents’ 78 percent and impressively registered 28 out of 41 points on it. The Indo-Aussie tandem defended three out of four breakpoints they came across and
converted two out of six break opportunities to their advantage.
The Indian-Aussie collaboration outmuscled the third seeds, Uzbekistan’s Akgul Amanmuradova and Japan’s Kimiko Date-Krumm, in straight sets en route in the final four to reach this spot.
Mirza grabbed her 13th career WTA doubles title while the Aussie shelved her fourth doubles title.
“Title number 13 for me :) end of a great week... thanks
@arodionova on the court and all the gossip off it :) on our way to the airport already!” the Indian stated in a social networking site.
“1st TITLE of the year with @mirzasania! Woohoo!!!” Rodionova tweeted after claiming her maiden year-to-date title.
The Aussie will next play at the Qatar Total Open 2012, a WTA event held on the hard courts in Qatar, Doha.
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