Martina Hingis wins first Grand Slam title since returning from retirement after doubles success at Australian Open

Martina Hingis and Leander Paes beat Kristina Mladenovic and Daniel Nestor 6-4 6-3 to win Australian Open mixed doubles title
It is the first Grand Slam won by Hingis since returning from retirement
The Swiss, 34, returned to the tour in 2013 to play doubles
This is the first time she had teamed up with Indian player Paes

Martina Hingis claimed her first Grand Slam title for nine years as the 34-year-old Swiss teamed up with Leander Paes to win the Australian Open mixed doubles.

Hingis and Paes did not drop a set on their way to the title as the pair beat defending champions Kristina Mladenovic and Daniel Nestor 6-4, 6-3 in 62 minutes.

It is 34-year-old Hingis's sixteenth Grand Slam title and comes 20 years after she made her first appearance at Melbourne Park at the age of 14 in 1995 when she reached the second round of the singles.

Hingis said: 'In the ceremony my voice became a little [emotional]. After 20 years [and] being back on that court, like I said in my speech, who would have thought?

'It's not even like the cherry on top, it's more than that to be there and to be able to hold another trophy with Leander. It's more than I could ever dream of. Former world No 1 Hingis returned to the tour in July 2013 after an absence of almost six years but has restricted herself purely to the doubles circuit.

For 41-year old Indian Paes, this is his 15th Grand Slam title. He has the chance at the French Open to complete his set of doubles titles and the plan is for the pair to reunite again in Paris after their success here.

Hingis said: 'It's not only the fact that we won, but we just feel really comfortable with one another to go out there. Right now it does feel a little bit invincible, especially on the hard courts because we just really fulfill each other'.

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