Super Sania keeps India in contention for final

“I think we played really well, especially Rohan in the first set and a half, he was all over the place. I think they were a bit surprised by him.”

India must beat the Czech Republic and Australia need to defeat the US, results which would leave all three teams on two wins out of three, with the group winner then decided on rubbers won. World number 31 Mirza came out firing on all cylinders, smashing winners on both sides to take the opening set in 30 minutes.

Molik picked up her game in the second set and as Mirza’s concentration dipped, the Australian levelled the match. Mirza then stormed to a 5-1 lead in the decider, only to falter as Molik saved three match points in the seventh game before hitting back to 5-4. But the Indian held her nerve to serve out at the second time of asking for victory. “I was 5-1 and then she started playing really well,” Mirza said. “But on her serve, she can come up with big serves any time. She stopped missing the ball and I made some stupid mistakes. But I am glad to win.”

World number 79 Luczak snatched a tight opening set against Bopanna, winning the tiebreak 7-2. Bopanna was then broken in the sixth game of the second set as Luczak levelled the contest at 1-1.

The momentum was with Australia but India looked on course for a straighforward mixed doubles win when they led 6-2, 4-2. Australia hit back to take the second set, though, and both sides had match points in the deciding match tiebreak only for India to snatch it 13-11. The win also helped Mirza and Bopanna maintain their unbeaten mixed record in Hopman Cup.

“One of Sania’s last returns summed up the whole day,” Molik said. “She played fantastically well, it just goes to show what a quality player she is and Rohan certainly surprised me at the net, he was so quick today. We didn’t have too many chances.”