Star Indian tennis player Sania Mirza won her first title of the 2021 season as she and her Chinese partner Shuai Zhang beat the pair of Kaitlyn Christian and Erin Routliffe in the women’s doubles final of the Ostrava Open in Czech Republic on Sunday.
The second seeded Indo-Chinese duo defeated the third seeded pair of American Kaitlyn Christian and New Zealander Erin Routliffe 6-3 6-2 in the summit clash in one hour and four minutes.
The 34-year-old Sania and Zhang had defeated the Japanese pair Eri Hozumi and Makoto Ninomiya 6-2 7-5 in the semifinals of the WTA 500 event.
It was Sania’s second final of the season, following a runner-up finish at the WTA 250 Cleveland event in the USA last month with Chirstina Mchale.
Post her maternity break, this is Sania’s second title on the circuit. Sania had paired up with Nadiia Kichenok to win the Hobart International title in January 2020. Incidentally, Zhang was the opponent for the Indian in that final.
Mirza has won six Grand Slam titles in doubles – three women’s and three mixed – and is a former world No 1 in doubles.
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