Mirza becomes first Indian woman to earn No. 1 doubles ranking

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By winning Charleston with Martina Hingis, Sania Mirza will become the new WTA doubles No. 1, as well as the first Indian woman to ever earn a top ranking. The new team has now won three tournaments in a row, having also taken the titles at Indian Wells and Miami.

"It's a dream for every kid to be No. 1," Mirza told the crowd following the final, adding some praise for her No. 4-ranked partner, Hingis. "She really helped me get there... She's a great player and a great person."

Mirza and Hingis will also become the top-ranked doubles team, with former No. 1's Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci recently deciding to no longer play together.

Mirza has yet to win a doubles Grand Slam and that is her next goal. Hingis has won nine doubles Grand Slams.

"I'd love to win some Slams," Mirza said. "I think that's something. We won the two other biggest tournaments of the year, which is Indian Wells, Miami this year already and got to No. 1. I want to—it would be great for both of us to be No. 1 together. I think that's very important to me, too. She's been No. 1, but for me it is to be [joint] No. 1, because I feel like right now we're playing like the No. 1 team and we both deserve to be No. 1."

By : Kamakshi Tandon / Matt Cronin


Sania Mirza is the first Indian to reach No. 1. // AP Photo