Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Charleston right here on wtatennis.com!
After teaming up for the first time a month ago, Hingis and Mirza swept their first two tournaments together, and big ones too - Premier Mandatory-level hardcourt events in Indian Wells and Miami. Not only did they go 10-0 together to win those titles, but they didn't even lose a set - 20-0 in sets.
One of those records held strong in their first match on clay in Charleston, as Rodionova sisters Anastasia and Arina twice rallied from a break down and even fought off a set point down 6-5 in the tie-break to take the 57-minute first set, but from there it was plain sailing for the No.1-seeded Hingis and Mirza, who took just 46 minutes to cruise through the second set and ensuing match tie-break.
Hingis and Mirza had beaten the Rodionovas by a much less complicated scoreline in Miami, 6-3, 6-4.
"The draw is so tough here, especially our half," Mirza said. "We're also still making the transition from hard to clay, and we haven't had much practice, and the others have been here for a longer time.
"We just tried our best. We almost had the first set, it was a couple points here and there - but we're happy to come through. It was our first super tie-break together, so we're happy to win that!"
Hingis, a former World No.1, said the pair's chemistry helped them pull through this tough one.
"The feeling on court together is what helped us win today," she said. "The chemistry is there - when one of us gets down, the other is there to pull them up. And sometimes it's hard to keep the energy level up after back-to-back wins. Also the balls are different here, and the movement's different.
"But overall we came through, and we're very happy about it - we have to build on that."
Awaiting Hingis and Mirza in the quarterfinals are Anabel Medina Garrigues and Yaroslava Shvedova, who won their first round match on Tuesday against Madison Keys and Lisa Raymond, 7-5, 7-5.
Medina Garrigues and Shvedova are rough customers in Charleston - they're 8-1 together here, reaching the finals in 2012 (falling to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Lucie Safarova), winning the title here in 2014 (beating Chan sisters Hao-Ching and Yung-Jan in the final) and now the quarters in 2015.
Hingis and Mirza's match against Medina Garrigues and Shvedova will take place on Friday.
And if Hingis and Mirza win the title, Mirza will become the new World No.1 in doubles.
11 matches in a row!. These 2 are on a hot streak, it's pretty outstanding. Just wish the women's doubles matches were covered more by sports networks.
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