US Open 2016: Sania-Barbara pair exits as Indian challenge ends

World No 1 Sania Mirza and her Czech partner Barbara Strycova were ousted from the women’s doubles event after losing to top seeds Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic in straight sets in the quarter-final of the US Open.

The French pair of Garcia and Mladenovic won 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 in only 69 minutes to end the Indian challenge at the Flushing Meadows.

The other Indian starts in the fray, Rohan Bopanna, Leander Paes and Saketh Myneni have all lost their respective matches in the earlier rounds.

Both pairs traded a break each in the first set after which they held their respective serves to take the set to the tie-breaker.

The seventh seeded Indo-Czech pair Mirza and Strycova lost serve in mini-service break as they conceded the first set 7-6 in 45 minutes.

The second set was a virtual cakewalk for the French girls as they broke the opposition serve twice to open up an unassailable 5-0 lead before finishing the match at 6-1.