Tennis
Tennis: Sania Mirza/Coco Vandeweghe to open US Open title bid in Women's Doubles - Preview, When and Where to watch
Sania Mirza will pair up with Coco Vandeweghe as she begins her quest for another title at the US Open.
Sania Mirza and Coco Vandeweghe will pair up at the 2021 US Open
Returning to her favoured hard court turf at Flushing Meadows, Sania Mirza, a 2-time US Open champion will be looking to make a mark and get back to her winning ways as she pairs up with American Coco Vandeweghe. Coming into the final Grand Slam of the season after having finished as the runners-up in the recently concluded Cleveland Championships, where she partnered with Christina McHale, Sania Mirza will team up with the 29-year-old Coco Vandeweghe as they prepare to take on the 12th seeded Romanian-Ukranian combine of Raluca Olaru/Nadiia Kichenok.
Sania Mirza, who won the US Open Mixed Doubles title in 2014 with Bruno Soares and the US Open Women's Doubles title in 2015 with Martina Hingis, is very much back on the tour after a maternity break and after 2017, this is the first time the 6-time Grand Slam champion will be gracing the Flushing Meadows. A former World No. 1 in doubles, Mirza has spent 91 weeks in the pole spot and is easily, one of the bests in the business.
Joining forces with Coco Vandeweghe should also be fruitful as Coco has been a champion at the US Open in 2018 when she won the Women's Doubles title with Ash Barty. A former World No. 9 in Women's Singles and a former World No. 14 in Women's doubles, Sania and Coco should be able to put up a good fight against familiar foes Nadiia Kichenok and Raluca Olaru.
In fact, Nadiia Kichenok and Sania Mirza are extremely aware of each other's game as they have been partners previously. Sania won the Hobart Open 2020 with Nadiia, as the mother of Izhaan was making a comeback on the professional tour then. At the Tokyo Olympics as well, Sania Mirza and Ankita Raina squared off against the Kichenok twins in a thriller - Lyudmala and Nadiia.
It is expected that the match will be tight because Raluca/Nadiia, as 12th seeds aren't easy opponents and Mirza, who is entering through wildcard, will have to be at her best along with Coco to stave off this challenge. The momentum Sania gained from the Cleveland Championships should come into force here while Coco will need to brush off the rust from her game as both former US Open Doubles champion's return to the court for more glory.
Schedule or When to watch?
Women's Doubles First Round:
Sania Mirza/Coco Vandeweghe vs [12] Raluca Olaru/Nadiia Kichenok at 1:35 AM IST on 3rd September, 2021 at Court 7
Where to watch?
The first round Women's Doubles match between Sania Mirza/Coco Vandeweghe and Raluca Olaru/Nadiia Kichenok can be watched on Star Sports
Live Streaming details
The match can be live streamed on Disney+ Hotstar VIP
