Sania Mirza got 2017 off to a bitter-sweet start, winning the Brisbane International with Bethanie Mattek-Sands, but ended up losing No. 1 ranking to her doubles partner, PTI reported.
Mirza and Mattek-Sands defeated Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina 6-2, 6-3 in the final to get the year off to a winning start.
Mirza, who had been ranked World No.1 since 2015 in doubles, was sporting despite losing the top rank to her partner. “I feel like I’m handing over the Miss World crown over to her,” she said, “We go a long way back, the last time we played together we won Sydney and this year we have won Brisbane, so maybe we should play more often.”
Mirza has been one of the most consistent performers in doubles category on WTA circuit.
She had climbed to top of the rankings after long spell of success with ex-partner and former singles World No.1 Martina Hingis. The pair though split in August last year. She later paired up with Czech Barbora Strycova before joining hands with Mattek-Sands.