HIGHLIGHTS: Sania Mirza loses mixed doubles semifinal at last Wimbledon of her career

Mirza-Pavic vs Skupski-Krawczyk: Get all the updates, highlights and more from the Wimbledon 2022 mixed doubles semifinal.

Updated : Jul 07, 2022 04:55 IST , London

India's Sania Mirza (right) and Croatia's Mate Pavic (left) at 2022 Wimbledon.
India's Sania Mirza (right) and Croatia's Mate Pavic (left) at 2022 Wimbledon.
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India's Sania Mirza (right) and Croatia's Mate Pavic (left) at 2022 Wimbledon.

Thanks for tuning into Sportstar's live coverage of the mixed doubles semifinal between Sania Mirza and Mate Pavic and the American-British duo of Desirae Krawczyk and Neal Skupski at Wimbledon 2022.

This was Nihit Sachdeva taking you through the action as it unfolded on Court No. 2 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, United Kingdom.

 

MATCH REPORT:

For Sania Mirza, her Wimbledon journey , which started at the junior level in 2001, has ended after 21 years.

Krawczyk and Skupski will get the chance to defend their title tomorrow against the all-Australian pair of Matthew Ebden and Samantha Stosur.

THIRD SET

Mirza-Pavic* 4-6 Krawczyk-Skupski - Mate Pavic to serve to stay in the match. A double fault to begin the crucial service game. Skupski sends a wonderful dipping return on Pavic's serve to go 30-0 up. Superb serve from Pavic sets up the overhead nicely and he does not make a mistake in putting it away. Skupski sends a forehand between Sania and Pavic but it goes long - 30-all. Sania fails to execute two overheads perfectly and sends the third one long - deuce. Risky second serve from Pavic but it pays off. Double fault from Pavic again - deuce again. Brilliant serve from Pavic but on the follow up, Sania does not manage to send the simplest of the cross court volleys over the net. Pavic saves the match point with an ace. He has to save another as Skupski stands his ground with the volley and Pavic sends one into the net. Fault. Skupski sends the second serve back and Pavic's volley lands into the net.

Mirza-Pavic 4-5 Krawczyk-Skupski* - Exquisite crosscourt volley from Pavic to deceive Krawczyk. Skupski hits an ace to make it 15-all. Krawczyk finds a crosscourt volley of her own before the Brit sends an unreturnable serve. Sania sends the overhead return.

Mirza-Pavic* 4-4 Krawczyk-Skupski - Crucial service game for Sania. A timely ace from the Indian to go 30-15 up. Skupski sends the forehand return long. Pavic somehow gets the racquet on Krawczyk's rocket return and Skupski's shot does not go over the net.

Mirza-Pavic 3-4 Krawczyk-Skupski* - Krawczyk serves. At 40-30, the American sends a gentle serve to Sania's forehand and Skupski, ready at the net, put the volley away. The light is fading quickly. This might not finish today.

Mirza-Pavic* 3-3 Krawczyk-Skupski - Mate Pavic holds serve with almost Nick Kyrgios like speed.

Mirza-Pavic 2-3 Krawczyk-Skupski* - Skupski serves. Sania puts the pressure on Skupski by closing the net and he sends his crosscourt forehand into the net. Strong first serve from Skupski to make it 30-all. A thunderbolt of a return from the left-handed Pavic on Skupski serve and Krawcyzk does not react in time. Second break point chance for the sixth seeds. Krawczyk redeems herself with a superb volley at the net to save the break point. Right thinking from Sania as the forehand down the line return was there for the taking but unfortunately, she hit it wide - deuce again. Pavic earns another break point opportunity with a volley that takes a deflection off the net before Skupski sends the forehand wide. Two big serves from the Brit and the second seeds, finally, manage to hold.

Mirza-Pavic* 2-2 Krawczyk-Skupski - Sania serves. Damage control done right from the defending champions as they attack the Indian's serve to earn a break point opportunity straight away. And they convert it too.

Mirza-Pavic 2-1 Krawczyk-Skupski* - Superb reflexes shown by Sania to hit the volley away from Skupski. Pavic makes a mess of the return on 30-0 up on Krawczyk's serve. Skupski fails to cover the net and Sania finds the gap with a backhand down the line to earn two break point chances. Great forehand return from Sania, almost as if she is playing singles, and Krawczyk fails to get to the ball in time. Mirza-Pavic breaks.

Mirza-Pavic* 1-1 Krawczyk-Skupski - Krawczyk does well to keep the ball in play after a solid first serve from Pavic. However, the Croatian gets the last laugh. Krawczyk gets lucky as her volley takes a deflection off the net and lands on the other side - 30-all. A double fault at 40-all from Pavic. Break point chance for the second seeds. Pavic takes care of it with a fast and wide serve followed by the overhead. Sania fumbles the volley after Krawczyk gets the return in. Another break point opportunity. This time, the Indian makes no mistake in the overhead. Deuce again. Pavic finds a good first serve to seal the game.

Mirza-Pavic 0-1 Krawczyk-Skupski* - Skupski to serve first in the decider. The local favourite is in full flow as he sends in two great first serves to go 30-15 up. Sania engages in a mini baseline battle with Skupski and hits the final forehand into the net. Skupski holds.

SECOND SET

Mirza-Pavic* 5-7 Krawczyk-Skupski - Sania serving to stay in the set. Pressure on the sixth seeds as Krawcyzk-Skupski go 30-15 up with two of the most delicate volleys. Skupski hits a brutal crosscourt backhand return to earn two set point chances. Sania saves the first with an ace. Can she save the second? No, she can't. On we go to the deciding third set.

Mirza-Pavic 5-6 Krawczyk-Skupski* - Horrendous forehand return from Pavic on Krawczyk's serve. Sania goes for the crosscourt backhand winner but drags it wide. Nicely done from the Indo-Croatian pair as Pavic set the point up with a crosscourt forehand return before Sania put the volley away. Krawczyk holds serve.

Mirza-Pavic* 5-5 Krawczyk-Skupski - Pavic serving to stay in the set. No fuss. Four straight points and it is 5-all.

Mirza-Pavic 4-5 Krawczyk-Skupski* - Skupski to serve to go ahead in the set. Excellent overhead winner from Sania to go 15-0 up. Sania makes the return but Skupski comes up with a brilliant forehand evading Pavic at the net. Double fault from Skupski. Strong serve down the T and Sania's forehand goes long - 30-all. A stunning volley by Krawczyk to take the second seeds 40-30 up. Slow second serve from Skupski but Sania fumbles the backhand return.

Mirza-Pavic* 4-4 Krawczyk-Skupski - Sania serves. Wicked return from Krawczyk gives Pavic very little time to get any racquet on the ball, let alone execute the volley. Aggressive play from the defending champions and all of a sudden, they have three break point chances. Sania double faults. Back on serve.

Mirza-Pavic 4-3 Krawczyk-Skupski* - Krawczyk serves. Pavic sends an imperious backhand down the line return at 0-30. Sania overcooks the forehand on the following point. Krawczyk manages to hold serve and keep it close in this crucial second set.

Mirza-Pavic* 4-2 Krawczyk-Skupski - Pavic serve doing the damage - 40-0 up in next to no time. Body serve from the Croatian and Skupski sends the return into the net.

Sania is receiving treatment again on her left leg. Skupski has gone off court. This could take a while.

Mirza-Pavic 3-2 Krawczyk-Skupski* - Skupski serve was broken last time. The repeat is on the cards as Sania comes up with a brilliant crosscourt backhand return winner to make it 30-all. Sania misses a golden opportunity to go up by a double break as she was just in the perfect position to hit the overhead on Skupski's lob but ended up hitting it wide. Bullet serve from the local lad to make it 3-2. Still, advantage with the sixth seeds.

Mirza-Pavic* 3-1 Krawczyk-Skupski - Sania serves. A miscalculated lob from Skupski goes long and Mirza-Pavic go up 30-0. Another unforced error from Skupski who hits return into the net. Easy putaway for Pavic to win the game.

Mirza-Pavic 2-1 Krawczyk-Skupski* - A blazing crosscourt backhand winner from Sania on Krawczyk at 0-40 down. However, the American does manage to seal the game at the second time of asking.

Mirza-Pavic* 2-0 Krawczyk-Skupski - It's one way traffic for now. Pavic holds serve to consolidate the break.

Mirza-Pavic 1-0 Krawczyk-Skupski* - Skupski serves first in the second set as well. No change in fortune for the defending champs though. Mirza-Pavic break immediately.

Medical timeout for Sania who already had her left leg heavily strapped.

FIRST SET (* denotes server)

Mirza-Pavic* 6-4 Krawczyk-Skupski - Pavic serves for the set. Strong first serve from the Croatian and Krawczyk barely gets her racquet on it. An ace to make it 30-0. A horrible crosscourt backhand from the American gives the sixth seeds three set points. The defending champions save two of those. Can they save the third? Pavic with a brilliant wide serve seals the deal.

Mirza-Pavic 5-4 Krawczyk-Skupski* - Skupski serving to keep the second seeds in the set. And he does just that.

Mirza-Pavic* 5-3 Krawczyk-Skupski - Sania serves and the sixth seeds are 30-0 up in no time. Make that 40-0 as Sania sends a blistering serve down the T. Sania wraps up the game with a forehand pass.

Mirza-Pavic 4-3 Krawczyk-Skupski* - Krawczyk serve. Mirza-Pavic 30-0 up after two lovely winners from the Indian - first, a volley at the net and second, a sensational backhand down the line. The American finally gets some first serves in, bringing Skupski into the rally, and it works - 40-30. Krawczyk holds. Mirza-Pavic still up by a break.

Mirza-Pavic* 4-2 Krawczyk-Skupski - Pavic consolidates the break.

Mirza-Pavic 3-2 Krawczyk-Skupski* - Pavic makes a great inside-out forehand return on Skupski serve which sets up an easy putaway at the net for Sania. Wide serve from the Brit to Pavic's backhand and Krawczyk puts the volley away to go up 30-15. Majestic forehand from the baseline from Sania which dipped viciously and Skupski's attempted volley could only hit the net - 30-all. Down the line backhand return from Pavic, Krawczyk seemingly didn't expect that and her late attempt only lands in the net. Unforced error on the forehand for Skupski and Mirza-Pavic pair breaks.

Mirza-Pavic* 2-2 Krawczyk-Skupski - Sania Mirza to serve. Her serve has been quite vulnerable in the tournament so far. Comfortable hold on this occasion for the Indian though.

Mirza-Pavic 1-2 Krawczyk-Skupski* - Not so solid serve from Krawczyk. It's 30-all. Chance for the Indo-Croatian pair. Decent lob from the American and Pavic sends the overhead long. Some nervy moments on the second serve for Krawczyk but she somehow holds.

Mirza-Pavic* 1-1 Krawczyk-Skupski - Pavic serves first from the sixth seeds and starts steadily. One game all.

Mirza-Pavic 0-1 Krawczyk-Skupski* - Solid hold of serve for the defending champions. No point conceded.

Skupski to serve.

11:10: Warm up is done. Game time!!!!

11:07PM: How Mirza-Pavic and Krawczyk-Skupski pairs have reached the semifinal:

10:54PM: Here we go. It is time for the final match on Court No.2 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club and from an Indian perspective, the one everyone has been waiting for - mixed doubles semifinal between the Indo-Croatian pair of Sania Mirza-Mate Pavic and the American-British duo of Desirae Krawczyk-Neal Skupski.

MATCH PREVIEW

Indian tennis star Sania Mirza, along with her Croatian partner Mate Pavic, faces second-seeded British-American pair of Neal Skupski and Desirae Krawczyk in the mixed doubles semifinal at Wimbledon on Wednesday.

This is already the best performance in the mixed doubles category at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club for Sania, who had previously reached the quarterfinals in 2011, 2013 and 2015.

READ:

The Indian, who is set to retire at the end of this season, has one final chance to achieve a Career Slam in mixed doubles. Sania, along with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi, won the mixed doubles titles at 2009 Australian Open and 2012 French Open before going all the way at the 2014 US Open with Bruno Soares of Brazil.

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