Australia Open: Sania Mirza advances to second round of women’s doubles in her last Grand Slam

India star Sania Mirza, competing in her final Grand Slam, sailed into the second round of the Australian Open on Thursday with ease.

Sania Mirza and her Kazakh partner Anna Danilina emerged victorious over Hungary’s Dalma Galfi and American Bernarda Pera in an exciting one hour and 15 minute match, winning 6-2, 7-5.

Wrapping up the first set in less than 25 minutes, the pair held a commanding 4-1 lead in the second set when they were tested by Galfi and Pera, who won four consecutive games to level the score at five-all. The Indo-Kazakh duo managed to break Pera’s serve and then Danilina held her own to secure the victory and advance to the second round, where they will face Alison Van Uytvanck and Anhelina Kalinina.

Sania and Anna into Round  @MirzaSania and Anna Danilina Women’s Doubles  Round  of #AO2023 

Thoughts on the  performance of the Indian-Kazakh pair? #SonySportsNetwork #SlamOfTheGreats #SaniaMirza #AnnaDanilina pic.twitter.com/VTe8bCgfNc
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) January 19, 2023

Sania Mirza, a six-time Grand Slam champion (three in doubles and three in mixed doubles), has announced that the Australian Open will be her final major tournament, and that she will be retiring after the WTA 1000 Dubai Tennis Championships, which are scheduled to take place from February 19th. Mirza’s illustrious career has seen her become one of the most successful female tennis players in history.

In men’s doubles, Ramkumar Ramanathan and the duo of Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni suffered first-round exits after losing their respective matches. Ramkumar and his Mexican partner Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela were unable to hold onto their first set lead, eventually succumbing to the Tsitsipas brothers, Stefanos and Petros, with a score of 6-3 5-7 3-6.

Wildcard entrants Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni were defeated 6-7, 7-6, 6-3 by the Australian-German duo of Andreas Mies and John Peers in a grueling two-hour and 45-minute match. Making their Grand Slam debut as a pair, Bhambri and Myneni managed to save two match points in the second set to force a deciding set. They then surged ahead to take a 3-1 lead, but ultimately succumbed to too many unforced errors, ending their campaign.

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