Tennis

French Women's Doubles 2022

India's star tennis player Sania Mirza and her Czech partner Lucie Hradecka displayed fearless brand of tennis but much younger and superior American singles players Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula prevailed in the women's doubles third round of the French Open, here on Tuesday. Despite a combined age of 72 years, Mirza and Hradecka produced some high quality tennis but lost 4-6, 3-6 to Pegula, ranked 11th in the singles and world number 23 Gauff. Mirza was impressive with her lower and angled forehands while Hradecka's power-packed backhand hitting from the baseline was a treat to watch but the Americans got those crucial points that dictated the outcome of the match. Mirza and Hradecka were down 3-5 in the opening set but Gauff, while serving for the set, committed a double fault to hand a break chance. Mirza easily dispatched a volley to grab the breakpoint for the team. Hradecka served next and at 30-all, Sania fluffed an overhead smash to hand the Americans set point, which got converted when the Czech made a return error. Mirza and Hradecka had got a measure of their rivals by now and the fearless and confident hitting had begun.&nbsp;&nbsp; The Indo-Czech pair nosed ahead in the second set by breaking the serve of Pegula in the very first game and Mirza made it 2-0 with an easy hold.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Gauff's serve was put under pressure. At 30-all, Mirza went for a deep return but that sailed over the baseline. Hradecka too went for big shots but her unforced error put the Americans on board.&nbsp;Pegula found a stunning angled winner that sped off from the corner of the court when Hradecka served at 15-40, making it 2-2.&nbsp;They were in danger of dropping serve again but Mirza saved three breakpoints in the sixth game. The Americans too saved three break chances. However Americans found a way to get one more break and Pegula served out the match and the pair moved to the quarterfinals.

India's star tennis player Sania Mirza and her Czech partner Lucie Hradecka displayed fearless brand of tennis but much younger and superior American singles players Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula prevailed in the women's doubles third round of the French Open, here on Tuesday.

french-women-s-doubles

Duo of Sania Mirza-Hradecka succumbs to Gauff-Pegula pair, crash out of French Open

In the edge-of-the-seat thriller Rohan Bopanna and Matwe Middelkoop saved five match points to knock out Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic, the reigning Wimbledon champions, from the Roland Garros on Saturday. Bopanna's serve was as venomous as it has been throughout his career and his volleys too were as sharp as ever while his Dutch partner showed exemplary calm under pressure in an edge-of-the-seat thriller in the men's doubles third round of the French Open 2022. A break of serve early in the third set put them at a disadvantageous position but there was no dearth of spirit or class from Bopanna and Middelkoop, who eventually prevailed 6-7 (5), 7-6(3), 7-6 (10) in two hours and 32 minutes. Bopana, thus, matched his best performance at the clay court major by reaching the quarterfinals, having done it four times in the past. Later, Bopanna combined with Slovenia's Andreja Klepac to make a wining start to the mixed doubles event with an easy 6-1, 6-4 victory over America's Asia Muhammad and Britain's Lloyd Glasspool. In the women's doubles, Sania Mirza and her Czech partner Lucie Hradecka, seeded 10th, outplayed the Slovenian team of Kaja Juvan and Tamara Zidansek 6-3, 6-4 to move to the third round. Juvan (number 68) and Zidansek (Number 25) are terrific singles players but lacked cohesion as a team while Mirza and Hradecka worked like a well-oiled machine. Earlier in the day, after annexing a set each, the pair of Mektic and Pavic got a break chance straightaway in the opening game of the decisive third set when Middlekoop fired a forehand long at 30-all. Middelkoop put a terrific first serve in but Mektic found a solid return which the Dutch could not put across the net, his backhand kissing the net. Mektic had no trouble whatsoever in making it 2-0 with a comfortable hold. Bopanna held his own and left-hander Pavic too stayed solid on his serve as the second seeds led 3-1. Bopanna made a backhand error, close to the net when Middelkoop served at 30-30 to be down by another breakpoint, but they saved that and the next one too. They eventually held with Bopanna finishing the game by dispatching a backhand volley. Pavic was put under pressure when Bopanna fired in a stunning service return winner and Middelkoop too sent in a fierce return to make it deuce but the tall southpaw pulled off two big serves to set his partner up for easy volley winners on returns. Mektic was serving for the match in the 10th game but was clearly feeling the pressure. Down by a match point, Middelkoop found a winner to make it deuce while Bopanna pulled off a stunning forehand service return winner, his shot just kissing the line, to earn a break chance, which they converted to make it 5-5. The momentum had shifted. Bopanna came out firing on all cylinders, holding at love. Pavic too served big, forcing a Super tie-break. The second seeds got to 9-6 to have a number of match points but the Indo-Dutch combine kept fighting in a stunning fashion and eventually saved four more match points in the Super tie-break. They earned their first match point when the rivals fluffed a return at 10-10. Pavic served decent while facing a match point but Middelkoop made an angled return, which the left-hander put out. Middelkoop fell on the ground in disbelief as Bopanna let out a roar.

In the edge-of-the-seat thriller Rohan Bopanna and Matwe Middelkoop saved five match points to knock out Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic, the reigning Wimbledon champions, from the Roland Garros on Saturday.

French Open: Bopanna-Middelkoop duo knocks out Wimbledon champions Pavic-Mektic

Get the latest French Women's Doubles live score, French Women's Doubles schedule and French Women's Doubles latest news only on thesportstak

Get the Latest News on French Women's Doubles - thesportstak

India vs South Africa 2nd ODI

Dynamic Banner

South Africa tour of India, 2025

Ranji Trophy, 2025/26

England tour of Australia, 2025/26

DP World Asia Cup Rising Stars, 2025

Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan, 2025

Ireland tour of Bangladesh, 2025

West Indies tour of New Zealand, 2025

Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe tour of Pakistan, 2025

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, 2025

Vijay Hazare Trophy, 2025/26

ICC Men's T20 World Cup, 2026

Sri Lanka Women tour of India, 2025

Featured League

Insights

Cricket

Editor's Choice

New Zealand tour of India 2026

Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin fears ODI cricket's future after the 2027 World Cup. He reckons what would happen to it after batting stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retire.


Rohit and Virat have retired from T20Is and Tests.

Rohit and Virat will now feature in three match ODI series against South Africa.

India batting stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli batting

Rohit, Virat need to come back to...': Ashwin announces death of ODI cricket 

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders kept their ILT20 Season 4 title hopes alive with a commanding 50-run win over Dubai Capitals in the Eliminator at Dubai International Stadium. Michael Pepper and Phil Salt powered the innings with a 122-run opening stand, while the spinners Sunil Narine, Jason Holder, and Liam Livingstone ran through the Capitals’ batting lineup to bowl them out for 108.

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders defeated Dubai Capitals by 50 runs. 

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders will now face MI Emirates in Qualifier 2.

Michael Pepper and Phil Salt

Salt and Pepper fire Knight Riders to 50-run win over Dubai Capitals

Gillespie’s stint with the Pakistan Team started with a disappointing home Test series loss to Bangladesh. The team later responded with a memorable 2–1 series win against England.

Jason Gillespie appointed as Pakistan head coach in 2024.

Jason Gillespie resigned from PCB head coach position after just eight months.

Pakistan head coach, Jason Gillespie reacts following game one of the Men's One Day International series between Australia and Pakistan

Gillespie's shocking revelation about leaving PCB as head coach goes viral

Basketball

Speculation swirls around LeBron James and the Warriors as fresh insight from a close confidant shapes the latest NBA buzz.

Recent NBA blockbusters fuel renewed debate over a possible LeBron James–Warriors link.

A trusted voice from James’ inner circle addresses the growing Golden State speculation.

LeBron James–Warriors buzz grows as a close confidant sheds light on potential Golden State move

LeBron James

LeBron James–Warriors buzz grows as a close confidant reveals about potential...

Former England first-class cricketer Nicholas Lee is an experienced strength and conditioning coach who has worked with several international teams, most recently with the Gulf Giants in the UAE’s ILT20.

Nicholas Lee set to be appointed as India's new S&C coach after WPL 2026.

Nicholas Lee recently worked with the Gulf Giants in the UAE’s ILT20.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur celebrates with teammates following victory in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup India 2025 Final 