Friday, June 3, 2011

Sania-Vesnina lose French Open doubles final

Unseeded Czech duo of Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka outhit India's Sania Mirza and her Russian partner Elena Vesnina, seeded seventh, to win the French Open women's doubles title.

Playing their first Grand Slam final, the Czechsovercame the 24-year-olds Indo-Russian pair6-4, 6-3 in 1 hour 22 minutes in the final at Suzanne Lenglen Court on Friday.

The winning team collected the euros 330,000 purse for the title and the runners-up take home euros 165,000.

Sania and Vesnina, long-time friends, have won two titles this year in Indian Wells and Charleston but failed to convert the tour success at the Grand Slam.

With this, Sania also failed to write her name in the history book as the first Indian woman tennis player to win a women's doubles Grand Slam title.

She had become the first female Indian tennis player to win a Grand Slam when she won Australian Open mixed doubles in 2009 with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi.

A few months back, Sania was not even sure where her career was heading due to injuries but she has produced some outstanding results after her comeback.

She won a singles silver medal at the Commonwealth Games, a singles bronze at the Asian Games along with two Tour events with Elena this year.