It's Grand Slam No 15 for legendary Leander Paes

[agamdilawari]

Martina Hingis of Switzerland and Leander Paes of India hold the winners trophy after their final mixed doubles match against Kristina Mladenovic of France and Daniel Nestor of Canada.

Indian tennis star Leander Paes clinched his 15th Grand Slam title as he and Swiss ace Martina Hingis Martina Hingis won the Australian Open mixed-doubles title, in Melbourne on Sunday.

The seventh seed Indo-Swiss pair turned back the clock to serve past third seeds Daniel Nestor and Kristina Mladenovic 6-4, 6-3 in the one hour and 2 minutes battle at the Rod Laver Arena.

Martina Hingis of Switzerland and Leander Paes of India celebrate winning their final mixed doubles title.

While the 41-year-old Paes clinched his seventh mixed doubles crown, Hingis, who came out of retirement for the second time a couple of years back, collected her 11th doubles Slam apart from her five singles titles.

Paes and Hingis broke the Canadian-French pair of Nestor and Kristina once in the first set and twice in the second to put up an entertaining display.

Paes, a veteran doubles specialist, joined forces with the 34-year-old Hingis last year only to come up with a Slam title in quick time.

Martina Hingis of Switzerland and Leander Paes of India celebrate a point.

Hingis, who burst into the scene in 1995, thanked her idol and legend Martina Navratilova for suggesting Paes as her mixed-doubles partner.

"I am thankful to Martina (Navratilova) for getting me partner Paes. Not even in my wildest dreams would I have believed that 20 years later I'd be standing here again," said an excited Hingis - winner of three singles Australian Open titles in 1997, 98 and 99.

Navratilovia, who also partnered Paes to clinch the Australian Open and Wimbledon mixed-doubles crown in 2003, was in the stands to watch the tennis veterans play.

It's Grand Slam No 15 for legendary Leander Paes - Rediff.com Sports