French Open 2016: Its Sania Mirza V/S Leander Paes In Mixed-Doubles Finals

Paris: Leander Paes on Friday inched closer towards completing a ‘Career Slam’ in mixed doubles with Swiss partner Martina Hingis but has compatriot Sania Mirza in his way as the two Indian players reached the finals of the French Open.

Unseeded Paes and Hingis were taken to the super tiebreaker by sixth seeds Roger Vasselin and Hlavackova before the Indo-Swiss pair prevailed 6-3, 3-6, 10-7 in the semifinal on Thursday.

Sania and her Croatian partner Ivan Dodig, seeded second, overcame a first-set lapse to beat the third seeds Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Kristina Mladenovic 4-6, 6-3, 12-10 to enter the summit clash.

Earlier in the day, Paes and Hingis dominated in a 6-4, 6-3 win over fifth seeds Elena Vesnina and Bruno Soares in the quarterfinals. Mirza and Dodig defeated seventh seeded Yung-Jan Chan and Max Mirnyi 6-1, 3-6, 10-6 in their quarterfinal encounter.

Paes and Hingis have won three Grand Slams together — the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open in 2015, their first year of partnership.

If Paes wins the title at Roland Garros, he will complete a career Grand Slam in mixed doubles, something he’s already achieved in men’s doubles. He had once reached the final here in 2005. This will be his 18th Grand Slam title. He has so far won eight Men’s Doubles titles and nine Mixed Doubles titles.

If Sania wins, then it will be her seventh Grand Slam title. She has previously won three Women’s Doubles titles and three Mixed Doubles titles.