And that’s a wrap: Mirza-Bopanna lose in the Australian Open 2023 mixed doubles final

First, the disclaimer: “If I cry, these are happy tears, not sad tears.”

Sania Mirza did cry, and although it wasn’t while holding the piece of silverware she would have hoped for, it was no less emotional.

A Grand Slam journey that began at Melbourne Park with an 18-year-old trailblazing talent battling Serena Williams in the singles third round of the 2005 Australian Open ended with the 36-year-old long-shining star signing off as a Grand Slam finalist on the same courts.

The Brazilian pair of Rafael Matos and Luisa Stefani stood in the way of Mirza’s fairy tale Slam swansong, beating Mirza and Rohan Bopanna 7-6(2), 6-2 in the mixed doubles final at the Rod Laver Arena on Friday.

Mirza will still play a couple of tournaments on the WTA tour before the final stop to her storied career in Dubai next month but, with her first ever mixed doubles partner by her side and her parents and son Izhaan watching on from the stands, the farewell feels came rushing out for Mirza.

“I never thought I’ll be able to play a Grand Slam final in front of my child,” Mirza, wiping away tears, said on court. “It’s truly special for me. There’s no better place and person for me to finish my Grand Slam career with.”

That person, her close friend and first partner from 22 years ago in a national tournament, also spoke about the “special” moment of playing the final after teaming up with Mirza for her last Slam. “Today we get to play your last match together in a Slam,” Bopanna said, looking at Mirza. “Thank you so much for all you’ve done for Indian tennis. Not only Indian tennis but inspiring everyone all around the world. Congrats for a fantastic career.”

That career includes six Grand Slam titles, the first of which was a mixed doubles title with Mahesh Bhupathi at the 2009 Australian Open and the last a doubles crown with Martina Hingis at the 2016 Australian Open. The former doubles world No 1, returning from her maternity break in 2020, was to end her Slam count at the US Open last year but an injury forced Mirza to push things to the Australian Open. Perhaps fittingly so, given her memories of the Slam, her partner by the side and the run to the final.

Walking out on court wearing wide smiles on a sunny Melbourne Friday afternoon, it wasn’t the brightest of starts by the Indians. The ever-so-solid Bopanna serve was broken in the very first game when his forehand sailed long. While Bopanna was missing a lot of balls early Mirza was largely solid on her racquet. A sizzling forehand return by her on the Stefani serve followed by a lucky net chord for a backhand return winner brought the Indians on levels terms in the fourth game.

That famed Mirza forehand can, clearly, still do all the talking, be it in a finely-angled crosscourt winner past Stefani that brought out the stare from her or a power-packed punch that brought Matos to his knees.

The Indian duo was back, and so was the Bopanna serve as he held to love with Mirza equally clinical in her volleys at the net. A backhand up the line return winner by Bopanna and another ferocious return from Mirza broke the under-pressure Stefani serve once again. But, serving for the set at 5-3, Bopanna’s biggest weapon faltered again even as the left-handed Matos stood tall at the baseline.

A rare Mirza forehand crashing at the net saw a set point come and go for the Indians, who both littered errors in the tiebreaker beginning with a Bopanna double fault.

Riding the momentum, the Brazilians were all over the Indians in the second set. They earned the break in the fourth game after Matos won a lengthy forehand back-and-forth with Mirza. With neither Bopanna nor Mirza able to conjure up some individual or collective magic, the Brazilians didn’t even need to serve for the title, clinically finishing things off on the Mirza serve.

The last dance at the Slam stage done, the final act of the cherished career beckons.