MIAMI, FL, USA – Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza continued their unbeaten start to life together after coming through a tougher-than-expected second round test at the Miami Open.
In their first tournament together, the Hingis-Mirza partnership gelled immediately, romping to victory in Indian Wells without dropping a set.
On Sunday evening they took on Gabriela Dabrowski and Alicja Rosolska, and initially looked set for another routine victory.
However, Dabrowski and Rosolska had no intention of going quietly, battling back from 4-1 down to come within a point of pocketing the set.
However, Dabrowski and Rosolska had no intention of going quietly, battling back from 4-1 down to come within a point of pocketing the set.
They were left to rue this missed opportunity – and the 5-2 lead they let slip in the subsequent tie-break – as the top seeds eventually prevailed, 7-6(6), 6-4.
Also through to the quarterfinals are Hingis and Mirza’s victims in the Indian Wells final, Ekaterina Makrova and Elena Vesnina. Seeded No.2, the experienced Russian pairing survived their own scare in the first round, requiring a match tie-break to see off Michaella Krajicek and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova. It was business as usual next time out as the eased past Daniela Hantuchova and Karin Knapp, 6-2, 6-2.
In contrast to Indian Wells, where five of the eight seeds failed to make it past the second hurdle, surprises have been few and far between at Crandon Park. No.3 seeds Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears have been the only casualties thus far, losing to Vera Dushevina and María José Martínez Sánchez in the opening round.
For Martínez Sánchez, it was an impressive return to action, in her first match since becoming a mother at the end of 2013.
Also through to the quarterfinals are Hingis and Mirza’s victims in the Indian Wells final, Ekaterina Makrova and Elena Vesnina. Seeded No.2, the experienced Russian pairing survived their own scare in the first round, requiring a match tie-break to see off Michaella Krajicek and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova. It was business as usual next time out as the eased past Daniela Hantuchova and Karin Knapp, 6-2, 6-2.
In contrast to Indian Wells, where five of the eight seeds failed to make it past the second hurdle, surprises have been few and far between at Crandon Park. No.3 seeds Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears have been the only casualties thus far, losing to Vera Dushevina and María José Martínez Sánchez in the opening round.
For Martínez Sánchez, it was an impressive return to action, in her first match since becoming a mother at the end of 2013.
Before her maternity leave, the Spaniard was a regular contender for the game’s biggest titles, winning the WTA Finals in 2009 and three Grand Slam semifinals alongside former partner Nuria Llagostera Vives.
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