Zeenews Bureau
New York, Sept 04: Indian tennis’ Golden boy Leander Paes raced to his career eighth Grand Slam title when he, along with Clara Black of Zimbabwe, clinched the US Open mixed doubles title defeating Liezel Huber of the US and Jamie Murray of Britain 7-6, 6-4 in straight sets in the finals here on Thursday.
The fifth seeds saved two set points in the first-set tiebreak before breaking once in the second to clinch their first grand slam title together.
Black hit a crucial volley to save the first set point and Murray, who won the mixed doubles at Wimbledon in 2007 with Jelena Jankovic, netted a volley on the second.
Murray was the only man to lose his serve, in the fifth game of the second, and Paes served out for his eighth grand-slam title, while Black has now won seven, including three mixed.
Black and Huber will join up in the final of the women`s doubles when they play American Lisa Raymond and Australian Sam Stosur, the 10th seeds.
It all boiled down to a battle of nerves where the Indo-Zimbabwean pair manage to edge out their opponents during the crunch situations
Though Murray and Liezel Huber fought well throughout the match, the unforced errors committed in the crunch situations, sealed their fate.
This win comes nine years after his twin crowns at Wimbledon, and Leander Paes would be hoping history to repeat itself at the US Open.
Now having clinched the mixed doubles finals, and with the men’s double yet to be played for, Paes is recalling the 1999 Wimbledon and reckons this is going to be special for him.
"I think 2008 in New York is going to be special," said the Indian ace.
In 1999, Paes had partnered Mahesh Bhupathi and Lisa Raymonds to win the men`s doubles and mixed doubles crowns at Wimbledon.
"I was much younger back then," said Paes, recalling the feat.
"As you get older, I push my body to new limits and try to raise the bar a few more times," he said.
Earlier, he and his Czech partner Lukas Dlouhy had thumped Argentine pair Maximo Gonzales and Juan Monaco 6-2, 6-0 in just 46 minutes to storm into the men`s doubles final.
The men’s doubles final is scheduled for Friday.
