Sania Mirza, a pioneering tennis player from India, lost in the mixed doubles semifinals against the reigning winners Neal Skupski and Desirae Krawczyk during her last Wimbledon participation. On Wednesday night, sixth-seeded Mirza and her Croatian pair Mate Pavic lost 6-4 5-7 4-6 to Skupski of Great Britain and American Krawczyk.
The most successful female tennis player from India, Mirza, 35, has won six Grand Slam championships, including three in mixed doubles. She wanted to play mixed doubles to complete the Career Slam.
In 2009, she and Mahesh Bhupathi won the mixed doubles title at the Australian Open. In 2012, she and Bruno Soares of Brazil won the title at the French Open.
The opening set was controlled by Mirza and Pavic, both multiple Grand Slam champions, with to a powerful serve.
As they led 4-2 in the second set, Mirza and Pavic, who are in their final season on the tour, appeared to be winning the match. However, the second-seeded team of Skupski and Krawczyk won five of the next six games to force a tiebreaker.
In the decider, Mirza and Pavic broke their opponent’s serve early, but they were soon broken again.
In the 12th game, Pavic committed two double faults, and Skupski and Krawczyk successfully converted the match point.
Mirza’s performance in the mixed doubles at the All England Club is his best to date. Prior to this, she had advanced to the quarterfinals in 2011, 2013, and 2015.
Six-time Grand Slam champion Mirza has previously stated that she will hang up her racquet at the end of the 2022 campaign.
With Martina Hingis, the 35-year-old Indian star won the women’s doubles championship at Wimbledon in 2015.
Bengali