Mixed Doubles: Still a proud Indian, says Sania
Sania and Soares defeated American Abigail Spears and Mexico's Santiago Gonazalez 6-1, 2-6, 11-9.
India's Sania Mirza captured her third Grand Slam mixed doubles title on Friday, winning the US Open crown with Brazilian partner Bruno Soares and then declared herself ‘a proud Indian’.
Sania and Soares defeated American Abigail Spears and Mexico's Santiago Gonazalez 6-1, 2-6, 11-9.
Soares claimed a second US Open mixed doubles title to go with his 2012 victory with Russian Ekaterina Makarova. Sania had lifted mixed doubles titles at the 2009 Australian Open and 2012 French Open with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi.
Sania's win comes just a month after she was described by a Hindu nationalist politician as ‘Pakistan's daughter-in-law’ and unfit to be a representative of India. The 27-year-old, married to former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, broke down in tears over the controversy.
"It was tough, you know,” she said after the win. “Just before I left, there was a lot happening at home. But, yeah; still a proud Indian five weeks later.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2014.