Paris: India’s veteran tennis player Leander Paes and his mixed doubles partner Martina Hingis cruised into the second round of the French Open tennis tournament here on Thursday. The Indo-Swiss duo defeated Germany and Colombian pair of Anna-Lena Granefeld and Robert Farah 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and eight minutes in the first round.
Paes-Hingis began the match on a positive note taking a vital 4-2 lead after they broke the German-Colombian pair once in the first set. The pair played sensibly from there on to not lose the advantage and eventually win the first set 6-4 with ease.
The first set win proved a confidence booster for Paes-Hingis as the experienced duo yet again broke their opponent in the second set and took an important 4-2 lead over the opposition. Anna-Robert won two games from there on to reduce the margin to 5-4, but there was no looking back for the Indo-Swiss pair as they went on to win the next game and grab the second set 6-2 and enter the second round in style.
Paes-Hingis won 17 out of 25 first serve points and three out of six second serve points in the second set.
