Martina Hingis returns to U.S. Open doubles final
Martina Hingis, left, bumped fists with Flavia Pennetta during a semifinal doubles match against Cara Black and Sania Mirza at the 2014 U.S. Open tennis tournament on Thursday, in New York. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
NEW YORK » Martina Hingis will play in the U.S. Open women’s doubles final for the first time since winning the 1998 title.
Hingis, inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame last year, and partner Flavia Pennetta beat the third-seeded duo of Cara Black and Sania Mirza 6-2, 6-4 on Thursday.
Hingis, who turns 34 on Sept. 30, ended her latest retirement to play doubles last year. She has won nine Grand Slam titles in doubles and five in singles.
Hingis’ only U.S. Open doubles championship came 16 years ago, when her partner was Jana Novatna.
"That was a while back," Hingis said.
She and Pennetta played in three tournaments together leading up to the U.S. Open.
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"With Flavia, I feel really comfortable being out there," Hingis said. "I think that’s the key to success."
In Saturday’s final, Hingis and Pennetta will face Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina, who are seeded fourth.
Makarova and Vesnina eliminated Serena and Venus Williams in the quarterfinals, then beat Kimiko Date-Krumm and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 7-5, 6-3 on Thursday.
The Russians own one Grand Slam doubles title as a pairing, from last year’s French Open.
Makarova will face Serena Williams in the U.S. Open singles semifinals Friday.
