Monday 13 July 2015 09:13, UK
Martina Hingis landed her first Wimbledon title since 1998 as she and Sania Mirza beat Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina in the women's doubles final.
Swiss player Hingis, 34, was a singles champion at the age of 16 in 1997 at the All England Club and won doubles titles in 1996 and 1998, since when she has retired twice but been tempted back.
She and Indian Mirza have struck up a strong doubles partnership that has taken them to the top of the world rankings, but Russians Makarova and Vesnina are the second-ranked team and looked like denying them on Centre Court, before a dramatic turnaround saw the number one seeds triumph 5-7 7-6 (7-4) 7-5.
It seemed Makarova and Vesnina would come through with comfort when they led 5-2 in the deciding set, after Hingis dropped serve, but they did not win another game.
"This is above my expectations," Hingis said. "I had a great partner to pull me through. It takes guts and courage being 5-2 down in the third set. Couldn't have asked for more drama.
"Usually, you're lucky to win it once or happy to be out here and play on the Wimbledon grounds."
Three break points had been spurned by the Swiss-Indian combination in the seventh game, and another three slid by in the ninth, but a fourth in the same game was seized upon.
Mirza crunched a forehand to set up the break point, and then Hingis swatted away a volley to bring the decider back on serve.
MIrza fended off the threat of an immediate match-winning break back with a glorious backhand across court, and at 5-5 the players took a break while the roof was closed to guarantee continued play.
The interruption was unfortunate but necessary, with the teams going off court for 10 minutes.
Hingis and Mirza created an immediate break chance on the players' return, and Hingis rifled a terrific forehand winner across court, leaving her to serve for the title.
With the crowd firmly behind Hingis and Mirza, they brought up three match points and made no mistake, dancing across court in celebration.
"When we came out at 5-all, we had goosebumps," added Mirza, the first woman from India to be ranked No 1 in singles or doubles.
"The energy on the court we were getting a standing ovation, it was unbelievable.We both came out, and I said, 'This is what we play for. This is what we work for.'"
Hingis attempts to win a second title of the championships on Sunday as she and Leander Paes take on Alexander Peya and Timea Babos in the mixed doubles final.
