Sania Mirza-Rohan Bopanna have medal in their sights, despite the semis loss
Ahead of the Olympics, the mixed doubles event was frequently touted to be the most competitive of the tennis disciplines. Steadily however, the prospective field depleted as injuries and the Zika threat wrecked havoc. Simultaneously though, on paper, the pair of Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna was increasingly pegged as one of the favourites, even getting the fourth seed in the 16-team knockout event.
On Friday, in their quarterfinal match, the Indian pair had the current Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and one of the upcoming tennis stars Heather Watson on the other side of the court. But it wasn’t a Murray-Watson duo that was at its best on the day. Murray’s laboured movement was layered with fatigue, given that the Scot had played a gruelling three-setter against Steve Johnson in their men’s singles quarterfinal match. The 24-year-old Watson, meanwhile, was simply off colour, and the weak-link in the Britain pairing. The Indians closed out the match in straight sets, winning 6-4, 6-4 to move to the semi-finals.
Fierce forehand
Mirza on her favoured right-side of court powered her famed forehand topspin shots across the net to great effect. Watson often shanked the return or even got a feeble pass as a reply, which an eager Bopanna, positioned at the net, would smash home. While the 29-year-old had greatly increased the productivity of her forehand compared to how she fared against Australia in the opening round, her 36-year-old partner, who boasts a strong serve, had found a lethal touch to his service game as well.
Then there was the Indians’ greater experience on the doubles court that provided a tactical advantage as well. True to the demands of the doubles game, Murray would charge towards the net after launching a serve, but both Bopanna and Mirza knew where exactly to place their return – right at Murray’s feet. The three-time Grand Slam winner, who finished with a gold and silver in the singles and mixed doubles event at London 2012, would be forced to bend low to retrieve the shot, only to find the net.
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