AFP, Miami :
Martina Hingis shrugged off her 33 years to partner Sabine Lisicki to the Miami WTA doubles title on Sunday in only the pair’s second tournament together.
The Swiss veteran and her German partner downed second seeded Russians Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina, 4-6, 6-4, 10-5.
“It’s very exciting,” Hingis said after winning her first title since 2007.
“When you convert the match point, you’re like, Yes, we did it. I just tried to … not make the mistakes. So it’s amazing, yeah.” The wildcard entrants won the last seven points of the deciding super tiebreaker to take the trophy.
Hingis said this victory has motivated her to play more doubles.
“Two weeks ago if you asked me, it probably would be a completely different answer from today,” Hingis said. “Last week, I was like, I’m not sure if I want to put myself out there like this and lose first, second round.
“Now, after this victory, definitely things change. I would be very happy to continue to play some more doubles.”
After almost six years in retirement, Hingis returned to the doubles tour in 2013, playing five WTA events alongside Daniela Hantuchova.
After the US Open she didn’t play for another six months but got back in the game at Indian Wells alongside Lisicki earlier this month. Reminded that after Martina Navratilova retired, she played another 10 years of doubles, Hingis said, “Good for her. I just take it one at a time. We play the next tournament and just really enjoy it.”
On their way to the final, Hingis and Lisicki beat sixth seeds Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Safarova and fifth seeds Cara Black and Sania Mirza.
Hingis now has 38 WTA doubles titles to her name, having won 37 between 1995 and 2007.
She is one of the greatest women’s players of all-time, having won five grand slam singles titles. Hingis also claimed 43 WTA Tour singles crowns and was ranked No. 1 a number of times between 1997-2001.
This is the third doubles title for Lisicki, who teammed up with Sam Stosur to win in Stuttgart in 2011 and Mona Barthel in 2013.
