LONDON — Martina Hingis and partner Sania Mirza produced a stirring fightback to claim the Wimbledon women's doubles title under the Centre Court roof lights on Saturday.
The 34-year-old former Swiss Miss, who won the singles in 1997 and has returned to the doubles circuit with great success after coming out of retirement, held her serve to seal a 5-7 7-6(4) 7-5 win over Russians Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina.
The match had been stopped at 5-5 in the third set to allow the roof to be shut as darkness fell on the All England Club.
Mirza was playing her first doubles final at Wimbledon while former world singles number one Hingis lifted the trophy with Helena Sukova in 1996 and Jana Novotna in 1998.
"This is above my expectations," Hingis told reporters. "I had a great partner to pull me through.
"It takes guts and courage being 5-2 down in the third set. Couldn't have asked for more drama."
Earlier Dutch/Romanian duo Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau won the men's doubles beating Andy Murray's older brother Jamie and John Peers of Australia 7-6(5) 6-4 6-4.
Rojer and Tecau, the fourth seeds, were playing in their first grand slam final as a pair.
Tecau avoided becoming the second player in the professional era to lose his first four Wimbledon finals after American Stan Smith. Tecau was runner-up in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
"I was extremely happy," Tecau said. "Very emotional to lose those finals because this is one of my favorite tournaments. I won it here as a junior twice. I wanted to come back and win it as a professional."
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The 34-year-old former Swiss Miss, who won the singles in 1997 and has returned to the doubles circuit with great success after coming out of retirement, held her serve to seal a 5-7 7-6(4) 7-5 win over Russians Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina.
The match had been stopped at 5-5 in the third set to allow the roof to be shut as darkness fell on the All England Club.
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) July 12, 2015Mirza was playing her first doubles final at Wimbledon while former world singles number one Hingis lifted the trophy with Helena Sukova in 1996 and Jana Novotna in 1998.
Congrats #SaniaMirza.What a great achievement.What a proud moment for all Indians
— Anoop Chathoth (@anoopc) July 12, 2015"This is above my expectations," Hingis told reporters. "I had a great partner to pull me through.
"It takes guts and courage being 5-2 down in the third set. Couldn't have asked for more drama."
Earlier Dutch/Romanian duo Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau won the men's doubles beating Andy Murray's older brother Jamie and John Peers of Australia 7-6(5) 6-4 6-4.
Congrats @MirzaSania !!
Keep winning and keep shutting up the haters ✌ ❤
#Wimbledon2015 #SaniaMirza
— Parash Biswal (@ParashBiswal) July 12, 2015Rojer and Tecau, the fourth seeds, were playing in their first grand slam final as a pair.
Tecau avoided becoming the second player in the professional era to lose his first four Wimbledon finals after American Stan Smith. Tecau was runner-up in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
"I was extremely happy," Tecau said. "Very emotional to lose those finals because this is one of my favorite tournaments. I won it here as a junior twice. I wanted to come back and win it as a professional."
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