Black and Paes win mixed doubles title

Zimbabwe's Cara Black and Leander Paes of India won the Australian Open mixed doubles title, defeating Russian Ekaterina Makarova and Czech Republic's Jaroslav Levinsky 7-5 6-3.

The win gave Black and Paes another Grand Slam title, after their US Open triumph in 2008. It also helped erase some of the disappointment of failing to defend their title at Flushing Meadows last year.

"I think that just our expertise and the way we play doubles, the way we cover the right shots at the right time, and the fact we keep bringing it to our opponents (won it for us)," Paes said.

"That's what won it for us today, is that our individual play, our instincts are very well matched well together."

After trading service breaks early, Black and Paes broke Makarova at 5-5, then calmly served out the first set.

They carried the momentum into the second, breaking Levinsky at 0-0, then again at 5-3 to seal the match.

The win was also a measure of consolation for Black, who with American Liezel Huber lost the women's doubles final against Serena and Venus Williams on Friday.

Reuters