Sania-Mettack win Cincinnati Open doubles; Sania's 2nd title of year

Cincinnati, US, July 23 (UNI) Sania Mirza claimed her second doubles title of the year as she combined with Bethanie Mettack of US to clinch the Western and Southern Financial Group Women's Open at the Cincinnati Open here.

Unlike their previous matches, the top seeded Indo-US duo had to fight hard to finally win 7-6(4), 7-5 against the unseeded Russian-Belarussian pair of A Jidkova and T Poutchek.

The two teams stayed pretty close throughout the match, except for a small 3-1 second set lead for Jidkova and Poutchek that evaporated almost as quickly as it materialized.

The win was Sania's fifth career Tour doubles title and the second of the year -- the first being the Morocco Open when she paired with American Vania King in May.

For her partner Mattek, it was her second career Tour doubles title.

''We played better matches this week, but we're still happy to win,'' Sania said.

About her partner, the 20-year-old Hyderabadi girl said, ''I have to get along with somebody off the court to play with them. Bethanie and I are a good team.'' Even the American agreed, saying ''We are a really good mixture,'' Mattek said of the team.

''We're both solid on the baseline and Sania has a good forehand, so it really opens up the court. Same with our serves.'' The top seeds had a much better semifinals, easily demolishing the USA-Russian pair of Lilia Osterloh and Anastasia Rodionova, in straight sets 6-2, 6-3.

The 38th-ranked Sania lost in the semifinals to top seed Anna Chakvetadze, who beat Japan's Akiko Morigami in the final in straight sets 6-1, 6-3 to claim the Cincy Crown a the 175,000 dollar Tier 3 hard court.

Sania had finished runners-up teaming up with Poland's Marta Domachowska here last year.

UNI