Paes gives India a Golden Double

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Doha, Dec 13 (UNI) Veteran Leander Paes and charismatic Sania Mirza combined superbly to give India a reason for late night celebration and the former scored a Golden double after winning the Mixed Doubles title in the tennis competition of the Asian Games here tonight.

Top seed Paes and Sania overpowered the seventh seeded pair of Satoshi Iwabuchi Akiko Morigami 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 in two hours and 20 minutes.

Paes had earlier combined with Mahesh Bhupathi to survive seven match points before retaining the men's doubles Gold, defeating Thai twins Sanchai and Sonchat Ratiwatana.

Earlier this morning, Sania had lost to Zheng Li of China 4-6, 6-1, 1-6 to settle for the Silver in women's doubles.

Unmindful of the storm surrounding his partnership with Bhupathi, Paes partnered Sania and played in tendem to see India end the day with another Gold at the Khalifa Tennis Stadium.

The crowd here hailed the Indians for winning the Gold, because both the players had a long day on the court.

Sania played her final under scorching heat, while Paes was on the court for over 160 minutes for his doubles prior to this match.

The Indians won the first set in 55 minutes but the Japanese pair fought back to win the next by identical (7-5) margin in 47 minutes.

However, in the decider, the Indians took 33 minutes to complete the formalities.

At Busan Asian Games, Paes and Sania had won a bronze.

UNI HSB AY BD2343

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