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Sania Mirza reaches final of US Open mixed doubles with Soares

Last updated on: September 04, 2014 15:14 IST

Sania Mirza of India plays a backhand. Photograph: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

Sania Mirza is in line for her third Grand Slam title and first with new partner Bruno Soares. The top-seeded pair struggled past Yung-Jan Chan and Ross Hutchins to reach the mixed doubles final at the US Open. 

The Indo-Brazilian team overcame the unseeded, but fighting, Tapiei-German combine 7-5, 4-6, 10-7 in the semi-final, which lasted an hour and 33 minutes. 

In a close contest, both the teams broke each other four times. Sania-Soares won 74 points overall, only three more than their opponents.

Sania-Soares are up against the unseeded pair of Abigail Spears of the United States and Mexico's Santiago Gonzalez.

It will be Sania's fifth mixed doubles final appearance at the Grand Slam level, having won the Australian Open (2009, 2012) twice with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi.

The 27-year old reached the Australian Open mixed doubles final this year also but ended runners-up with Romanian partner Horea Tecau.

Sania also has the opportunity to enter only her second women's doubles final at majors. She and Cara Black, seeded third, will take on Swiss comeback queen Martina Hingis and Italian Flavia Pennetta in the semi-finals.

Other Indians participating in the year's last Grand Slam have already exited, Rohan Bopanna and Leander Paes falling at different stages of their respective events. 

There was no Indian playing in the men's singles as Somdev could not qualify for the main draw.