Mummy returns!

Hobart, January 18

In a dream start to her second innings after a two-year break, Sania Mirza lifted the WTA Hobart International trophy with partner Nadiia Kichenok after edging out Shaui Peng and Shuai Zhang in the final here today.

The unseeded Indo-Ukrainian pair pipped the second-seeded Chinese team 6-4 6-4 in one hour, 21 minutes. Playing her first tournament after giving birth to son Izhaan, the 33-year-old Sania has begun well in the Olympics year as she warmed up for the Australian Open in style.

This was Sania's 42nd WTA doubles title and the first since the Brisbane International trophy in 2017 with American partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands. Sania did not compete on the WTA circuit in the entire 2018 and 2019 seasons to start a family with her husband, cricketer Shoaib Malik of Pakistan.

Sania and Nadiia began by breaking the Chinese players in the very first game of the match, only to drop serve in the next. The two pairs played close games towards the end and at 4-4, 40-40, Sania and Nadiia got the crucial break, earning the opportunity to serve out the set, which they did.

The second set could not have started better for them as they broke their Chinese rivals to take an early lead and consolidated the break with an easy hold. When the Chinese pair dropped serve again, Sania and her partner were 3-0 up. However, Sania-Nadiia got broken twice, too, and the set was back on serve. However, the Indo-Ukrainian team raised its game and broke Peng and Zhang for one final time in the ninth game and served out the match.

Sania and Nadiia split the prize money of $13,580 and eared 280 ranking points each. — PTI

HOPE THIS INSPIRES WOMEN TO DO THIS AFTER HAVING KIDS: SANIA

Hobart: Sania Mirza was understandably pleased after the win. “It’s always great to win a tournament, and under the circumstances that we won I think it’s even better,” she said. “We were playing (together) for the first time, me coming back after almost two-and-a-half years, post (having) a baby; so we probably didn’t expect to win.” Sania said Nadiia’s service was a defining factor in their win: “I think that she was serving really well and was giving me a lot of opportunities to help her out at the net and get involved.” She hoped that her success would motivate other female athletes. “I feel that hopefully this may inspire a few more women or girls to do this after having kids,” she said. Nadiia had words of praise for Sania. “She (Mirza) hasn’t missed anything, I’m telling you,” the doubles No.34 said. “She came to the first practice and she was hitting unbelievable.”