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| December 14, 2006 | Thursday | Ziqa'ad 22, 1427 |
Heartbreak for Mirza as Zheng wins tennis gold
DOHA, Dec 13: China's Zheng Jie capped a sensational year on Wednesday with gold in the women's singles at the Asian Games, fighting off a challenge from Indian darling Sania Mirza.
Zheng, who won Wimbledon and the Australian Open doubles titles with compatriot Yan Zi, took the first set 6-4 before Mirza fought back in the second only to be denied in the crucial third.
The 23-year-old second seed, whose steller season also included singles titles at Stockholm and Estoril, won 6-4, 1-6, 6-1. But the strong-Indian crowd, who yelled and cheered when Mirza served faults, affected her game.
Zheng, whose victory hands China its first tennis gold here, is gunning for two out of two in the women's doubles final with Yan on Thursday.
Mirza, who upset top seed and Zheng's Chinese teammate Li Na on Tuesday to reach the final, said she had plenty of chances but failed to capitalise.
Mirza, who also has silver in the team event, still has a chance at gold when she teams with Leander Paes in the mixed doubles final later on Wednesday.
Nerves appeared to grip Mirza early in the final, perhaps with the weight of an expectant nation on her shoulders.
She sent her normally powerful crosscourt forehands into the net, and gave up her service game with two double faults to go 2-4 down.
But Zheng also started to wobble, double-faulting in the very next game to hand Mirza a break before the Indian held for 4-4.
The world number 33 regained her composure quickly, holding easily and again breaking Mirza to take the first set in 38 minutes.
Mirza came out firing, breaking the Chinese in the third game and again in the fifth to race to a 4-1 lead, pumping her fists to signal a fightback was on the cards, before wrapping up the second set.
But in the crucial third, Zheng took a strangehold, breaking immediately and fending off a fierce challenge to hold her serves, prompting the Indian to smash her racket to the ground in frustration. Mirza eventually handed her the set and the match with two double faults.
Former feuding pair Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi restored some pride for India when they snatched gold in the men's doubles, edging past Thailand's Sanchai Ratiwatana and Sonchat Ratiwatana.
The defending champions fought back from one set down in a rain-interrupted match to beat the identical twins 5-7, 7-6 (9-7) 6-3.—AFP
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