Bhupathi-Sania win maiden French Open mixed doubles title

India's Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza won their second Grand Slam mixed doubles title together, triumphing in the French Open here on Thursday with an excellent performance in the final.

Bhupathi and Sania defeated Klaudia Jans-Ignacik of Poland and Santiago Gonzalez of Mexico 7-6 (3), 6-1 in one hour and 13 minutes, coming through a tough first set and then sailing through the second.

The Indians had won their first title together at the Australian Open in 2009 and their success today fetched Bhupathi his 12th Grand Slam title – eight ofthem from mixed doubles.

For Sania, it was her second title at a Grand Slam. “It's my first Grand Slam in a long while and the first one after I became a father. This is for her,”said birthday boy Bhupathi, dedicating the title to his four-month old daughter.

Sania, while thanking Bhupathi, joked she didn't have to hunt for a birthday gift for her partner. “He is one of the best doubles players in the world and I am lucky to havehim as partner,”said Sania. Sania and Bhupathi had their chances inthe first set but their rivals pushed it to a tie-break, where the Indians proved a cut above.

They carried the momentum to the second set and broke Gonzalez' serve in the very first game itself. They had chances to break Klaudia's serve in the third game but she hung on tomake it 1-2.

Sania then came up with some cracking winners off both the flanks to hold serve for a 3-1 lead and the Indians again broke Gonzalez serve to take a commanding lead. Bhupathi then held his serve comfortably before Klaudia, serving to stay in the match, crumbled, leaving the Indians worthy winners.

Sharapova faces Errani

It was little wonder Maria Sharapova's jubilant coach was holding aloft his index finger on Thursday as the Russian enjoyed a double celebration after sweeping into her maiden French Open final.

Not only did her 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova allow her to move within two sets of fulfilling her dream of completing a career Grand Slam but, after a four-year wait, she was finally back on top of the world.

Whether on not Sharapova becomes the newest member of the Roland Garros champions' club when she takes on Italian outsider Sara Errani, who upset sixth seed Sam Stosur 7-5, 1-6, 6-3, on Saturday, the statuesque Russian's name will be on top of the WTA rankings list on Monday. "A few years ago I don't know if I even had a ranking after having my shoulder surgery (in August 2008) and it's special to be back on top again," a beaming Sharapova told the crowd.

The swirling winds on Philippe Chatrier Court made life difficult for both players initially, with Sharapova facing break points on both of her opening service games but it was Kvitova who blinked first.

Two sloppy forehand errors handed Sharapova the break in the fifth game and the Russian barely needed to move off the baseline as she watched Kvitova implode while trying to stay alive in the set.

The fourth seed was broken to love, a forehand into the tramlines on set point summing up the kind of day she was having. Her day went from bad to worse as she dropped serve for a third time, this time with a double fault, to go 1-3 down in the second set.

She managed to show some fight to level for 3-3 but Sharapova kept on pounding winners from the baseline to break for 5-3 before wrapping up the one-sided contest in 77 minutes with an ace.

Errani upset the heavy-hitting sixth seed Stosur to reach her first Grand Slam final. The petite, yet nimble-footed, Italian had been expected to struggle with Stosur's high, kicking serve and heavy topspin groundstrokes, but contrived to out-think and outmanoeuvre the Australian.

"I have no words, it is incredible," a weepy Errani, who collapsed on to her back in her moment of victory, told an on court interviewer. Stosur had fallen into the 21st seed's intelligently contrived plan to force her opponent out of her comfort zone and nullify her principle weapons.