Bhupathi wins his 11th Grand Slam, first for Sania (Statistics)

NEW DELHI - India’s Mahesh Bhupathi added an 11th title to his Grand Slam tally while Sania Mirza won her maiden Grand Slam as the duo won the Australian Open Mixed doubles Sunday.

Bhupathi and Sania beat Nathalie Dechy of France and Andy Ram of Israel 6-3, 6-1 in an encounter lasting 55 minutes.

It was Bhupathi’s seventh Grand Slam mixed doubles title and first with an Indian girl. Besides, he has four men’s doubles titles at Grand Slam, three of which came with Leander Paes.

Sania, who won the junior Wimbledon doubles title in 2003, clinched her first Grand Slam which is also a first by any Indian woman.

Following is the list of Grand Slam title wins of Mahesh Bhupathi —

Mixed Doubles:

1997, French Open: With Rika Hiraki (Japan) beat Patrick Galbraith andLisa Raymond 6-4, 6-1.

1999, US Open: With Ai Sugiyama (Japan) beat Donald Johnson and Kimberly Po 6-4, 6-4.

2002, Wimbledon: With Elena Likhovtseva (Russia) beat Daniela Hantuchová and Kevin Ullyett 6-2, 7-5.

2005, Wimbledon: With Mary Pierce (France) beat Paul Hanley and Tatiana Perebiynis 6-4, 6-2.

2005, US Open: With Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) beat Katarina Srebotnik Nenad Zimonjic 6-4, 6-2.

2006, Australian Open: With Martina Hingis (Switzerland) beat Elena Likhovtseva and Daniel Nestor 6-3, 6-3.

2009, Australian Open: With Sania Mirza (India) beat Andy Ram and Nathalie Dechy 6-3, 6-1.

Men’s Doubles:

1999, French Open: With Leander Paes (India) beat Goran Ivanisevic and Jeff Tarango 6-2, 7-5.

1999, Wimbledon: With Leander Paes (India) beat Paul Haarhuis and Jared Palmer 6-7, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6.

2001, French Open: With Leander Paes (India) Petr Pala and Pavel Vizner 7-6, 6-3.

2002, U.S. Open: With Max Mirnyi (Belarus) beat Jiri Novak and Radek Stepanek 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.