New Delhi: American tennis player Rajeev Ram and Indian player Sania Mirza defeated Serbian pair Aleksandra Krunic and Nikola Cacic 6-3, 7-6(3) in the Mixed Doubles first-round match at the Australia Open 2022 in Melbourne Park on Thursday, January 20, 2022.
The former Grand Slam champions began the opening set confidently. Ram gave the pair a natural 4-1 lead. They had a beautiful understanding as Ram’s serves and Mirza’s volleys earned breakpoints for the team. Meanwhile, unforced errors from the Serbians and forehand smashes led to Ram and Sania winning the set 6-3.
Krunic and Cacic made a comeback in the second set. Mirza gave a forehand return to Krunic on Cacic’s poor service and earned an early breakpoint. She made a cross-court smash on Krunic’s serve and earned two breakpoints.
Serbians were leading the match when Mirza took the opportunity and made a forehand smash leading to a crucial 5-5 tiebreaker. However, Krunic lost a point when the decider serves went wide. Krunic and Cacic made unforced errors and lost a point each. It gave Ram and Mirza a 3-point lead as they finished the set 7-6 (3).
The pair kept composure and won two straight sets 6-3, 6-7 (3). They will face Robert Farah-Nicole Melichar-Martinez or Matwe Middelkoop-Ellen Perez in round two of the Australian Open 2022.
(Avya Mathur)
