Sania-Strycova in final of Apia International

Sania Mirza has closed in on her second title of the season in as many tournaments after reaching the final of the WTA Apia International with Czech partner Barbora Strycova, here on Thursday. The top seeds thrashed America’s Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova from Kazakhstan 6-1, 6-2 in just 51 minutes. 

Sania and Barbora saved all five breakpoints in the semi-final match and broke the rivals twice in each set. They will clash for the title with Timea Babos and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who defeated Andreja Klepac and Mar a Jos Mart nez S nchez 6-3, 6-4 in the other semi-final. After splitting with Martina Hingis last year in August, it is Sania’s sixth final in eight tournaments. She won the Cincinnati and Tokyo events with Strycova and the New Haven tournament with Monica Niculescu.