Melbourne, 1 February 2015: Martina Hingis partners Leander Paes to the mixed doubles title – beating Daniel Nestor and Kristina Mladenovic 6-4 6-3 – 12 years after Paes won the same trophy with Martina Navratilova.
Twice retired, 16 times a Grand Slam champion: Martina Hingis has a major title to her name in this third chapter of her career, partnering Leander Paes to beat Canada’s Daniel Nestor and Kristina Mladenovic of France, 6-4 6-3.
The Swiss former world No.1, who won seven Australian Open singles and doubles titles before her first break from the sport in 2003, collected a second mixed doubles crown in Melbourne to go with her 2006 triumph, won during her second spell in professional tennis.
It is the second time Martina and Leander have lifted the mixed doubles trophy, only this time the Indian – now a winner of 15 men’s and mixed doubles titles – was partnering the 34-year-old having won in 2003 with the player she was named after, Martina Navratilova.
“Martina – thank you for lending me Leander!” Hingis joked, drawing a smile from Navratilova in the stands. “I know you won your last (Australian Open) title together. Not even in my wildest dreams that 20 years later I’d be standing here again.”
“It’s a great honour to keep coming back to Australia,” said Paes, who paid tribute to the workers behind the scenes after winning his seventh mixed doubles title, five years on from his last victory – a triumph he put down to finally playing with Hingis at a major.
“There are a few people who got us together,” the 41-year-old said. “All you guys back home who put us together to win our first Grand Slam, thank you.”
MEN’S DOUBLES (EIGHT TITLES)
- 1999 French Open with Mahesh Bhupati
- 1999 Wimbeldon with Mahesh Bhupati
- 2001 French Open with Mahesh Bhupati
- 2006 US Open with Martin Damm
- 2009 French Open with Lukas Dlouhy
- 2009 US Open with Lukas Dlouhy
- 2012 Australian Open with Radek Stepanek
- 2013 US Open with Radek Stepanek
MIXED DOUBLES (SEVEN TITLES)
- 1999 Wimbeldon with Lisa Raymond
- 2003 Australian Open with Martina Navratilova
- 2003 Wimbeldon with Martina Navratilova
- 2008 US Open with Cara Black
- 2010 Australian Open with Cara Black
- 2010 Wimbeldon with Cara Black
- 2015 Australian Open with Martina Hingis
