Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis: A fire & ice combo

NEW YORK: When Sania Mirza is teeing off from the back of the court and Martina Hingis is all over the net, if they weren't so pleasing to watch - a gentle breeze combining with cyclonic winds, calming and devastating all at once - you'd want to call their performance machine-like.

In their charge to the US Open women's doubles title, the world No.1 pair lost just 26 games, six of them in the final against the Kazakh-Aussie combine of Yaroslava Shvedova and Casey Dellacqua.

The 35-year-old Hingis pinned their success to their combined power. "The way Sania was playing the last three-four matches was incredible," she said. "She was hitting bombs from the baseline and I was able to pick it up and hit some good volleys. That's what works best for us. We felt like there was a little bit of nervousness, especially today, but I know I have the same support and trust that I have for her shots and for her game. It's building up every time we step out on the court together."

Sania, who has played with a number of partners, trying and testing, looking for the right combination, rued that the duo hadn't come together earlier. "We started playing in March in America and we won three out of three. That rarely happens," the Indian ace said. "We hit it off and now we have become friends. We were more acquaintances before. I think it helps in tough moments like today, when you're struggling to close out matches. We trust each other on and off the court. That helps us through tough moments on the court. We try to help each other out if the other one is struggling. If both of us are not struggling then we win tournaments!"

"We are happy to win our second Slam together," said Sania. "We didn't think when we started playing this was going to happen so soon. We are the No. 1 team in the world, so we have to keep building on this."

Hingis said, given their march to six titles this year, two of them in Grand Slams, the duo was playing with confidence. "The only match I felt a bit lame was against the Chan sisters," she said. "Every time in the beginning against them it is the same thing, but we managed to get through those difficult moments. With Sania in the Grand Slams, the big events, she peaks unbelievable. I can manage the volleys at the net. She sets me up great. We have our strategies and when she puts some volleys in it's a bonus; when I hit some winners from the baseline or I win some points that's like even extra bonus."

Hingis pointed out that increasing number of singles players are playing doubles, even if they aren't finding success at first. "Flavia (Pennetta) won the singles title on Saturday, but we beat them in the semifinals. And it was like 4 and 1," she said. "So it's not like the women's singles players don't play, but only sometimes they are successful, like Sara Errani or Vinci."

Sania said Indians back home were logged on to her success. "Grand Slams mean a lot, but being a woman and being the first one to achieve everything that I'm achieving is amazing not just for India, but specifically for Indian women," she said. "For women to get into sports in the country is tough. I hope they're proud."

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