Wimbledon 2017: Jamie Murray and Martina Hingis win mixed doubles title
The pair only decided to team up a little over a fortnight ago but were too good for Brit Heather Watson and Finland's Henri Kontinen winning 6-4 6-4
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Your support makes all the difference.Andy Murray and Johanna Konta may have fell just short in the singles, but Jamie Murray ensured that there was at least one British winner at Wimbledon this fortnight, as he yesterday won the mixed doubles title alongside Martina Hingis.
The duo only decided to strike up a partnership in the days leading up to The Championships, but breezed through the draw without dropping a single set, overcoming defending champions Heather Watson and Henri Kontinen 6-4 6-4 in the final on Centre Court.
Their victory was the perfect way for the pair to celebrate important landmarks in both of their respective careers. Yesterday marked 20 years since Hingis beat Jana Novotna in the women’s singles final, while a decade ago Murray was celebrating his first mixed doubles title, alongside Jelena Jankovic.
“It obviously took me a long time to get a second one,” Murray said in his press conference following the match. “It's a great achievement. Any time you win a Grand Slam, you get your name up on the board again and it is there forever, you know that no one will take it away for you.”
Murray and Bruno Soares had been disappointed to lose in the second round of the men’s doubles in the first week, after winning titles at the Australian and US Opens last year. But the Scot was quick to strike up a fruitful partnership with Hingis, and was the star of the show in Sunday’s final.
He returned well to the big-hitting Kontinen and was sensational at the net, winning one point with a superb spinning drop-volley at the net.
And after brother Andy’s disappointing quarter-final exit to Sam Querrey, this triumph at least means that the Murray family name will be on a Wimbledon trophy for the third time in just five years.
Not that Andy was able to watch. “I just saw him moments after coming off the court,” Jamie later revealed. “He said he came down in the middle of the first set. But I think he just waited in the locker room because he said he didn't want to watch it. I don't know if he snuck a few points in or not.”
With Murray and Watson in action either side of the net, the final guaranteed a British winner, which left one particularly excited spectator at a loss who to support on Centre Court. “Come on — all of you!” he blurted out midway through the second set, to laughs from the crowd.
And despite losing her title, Watson said she had enjoyed playing in front of such a partisan set of supporters.
“Obviously they were really loud and a lot more involved because they had Brits to support on either side of the net,” she said.
“I mean, it is normally really fun to play in an atmosphere where the crowd's all for you. But it was still so enjoyable to play today. It was nice that both teams were getting a lot of support.”
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