No major doubles glory for Hingis

Sport360 staff 07:10 08/09/2014
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  • Disappointed: Martina Hingis hasn't won a Grand Slam doubles crown for 12 years.

    Martina Hingis’ hopes of winning her first Grand Slam doubles title since 2002 were shattered when the Russian pairing of Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina took the US Open title.

    Hingis, 33, was playing with Italy’s Flavia Pennetta but despite a promising start to the final they went down 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 to the fourth seeds.

    Hingis last appeared in a doubles final at a Grand Slam in 2002 at the Australian Open where she won the title with Anna Kournikova, one of nine doubles crowns she captured during her heyday. She also captured the 1998 doubles title in New York with Jana Novotna.

    “We definitely had our chances, but when we look back starting the tournament, if you ask me to sign a paper that I’m in the finals, I would probably accept it with my eyes closed,” said Hingis.

    “When you’re that close of course you want to win. We beat them before. It’s not like we didn’t have a chance. We showed that we can beat the best doubles teams out there today again, but I felt like the juice ran out a little bit at the end.”

    Makarova and Vesnina have now won two majors after their 2013 triumph at the French Open.

    Meanwhile, Bob and Mike Bryan won their 100th doubles title when they defeated Spain’s Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez for a fifth US Open crown.

    The top-seeded American brothers swept to a 6-3, 6-4 win over their 11th-seeded rivals which gave them a 16th Grand Slam title. The 36-year-old world No1 pair were also champions in New York in 2005, 2008, 2010 and 2012.

    “To win here is extra-special, but I have to congratulate Marcel and Marc, they are a class act,” said Mike Bryan.

    “We will keep going, we love this game. We will go to Chicago for the Davis Cup against Slovakia. We hope to do well. We’re not stopping any time soon.”

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