Israeli/Indian duo ousted by world's No. 1 pair at Wimbledon championships.
By ALLON SINAIpeer mirza 298.88(photo credit: AP)
Shahar Pe'er and Sania Mirza's spirited effort was not enough to overcome the world's No. 1 doubles team of Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur in the third round at Wimbledon on Wednesday afternoon.
The Israeli/Indian duo was thoroughly outplayed by Raymond and Stosur in the first set, losing 6-0 in a stunning 15 minutes.
The second set was a far tighter affair, with Pe'er and Mirza saving a match point and tying the score with a 7-4 win in a tiebreak.
The third set, however, was similar to the first, with the Jewish/Muslim duo failing to hold serve and losing 6-1 in 25 minutes.
Pe'er, who was also knocked out of the singles tournament in the third round, leaves the All England Club almost NIS 300,000 richer for her efforts in the last 10 days.
Raymond and Stosur lost just seven points in the entire first set, with Pe'er and Mirza helpless bystanders.
However, the match turned on its head in the second set after the Israeli/Indian pair improved their serving.
An excellent forehand by Pe'er gave the team a 2-1 lead and the set would remain tight throughout.
Raymond and Stosur claimed the first break of the second set in the seventh game and held serve in the following game to take a seemingly unassailable 5-3 advantage.
Pe'er and Mirza, however, held serve in the ninth game and a beautiful lob by the Israeli gave the team their first break of the match and tied the score (5-5).
The American/Australian duo broke once more in the subsequent game, but failed to serve out the match for a second time in the 12th game.
Pe'er and Mirza saved one match point and the Indian's backhand winner sent the set into a tiebreak.
The Israeli/Indian team won the first three points of the breaker and would maintain the lead to tie the match at one set all.
Pe'er and Mirza squandered three break points in the first game of the third set and paid the price in the following game. Raymond and Stosur broke and took a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
The American/Australian duo maintained their 100 percent break point conversion rate (eight of eight) in the sixth game and clinched the match in the subsequent game after Mirza sent the ball wide.
Also on Wednesday, Yoni Erlich and Elena Vesnina, who were seeded 15th in the mixed doubles tournament, lost 6-3, 6-4 to Fabrice Santoro and Severine Bremond in the second round.
Julia Glushko, who was seeded 12th in the Girls tournament, was knocked out in the first round, losing to Misaki Doi of Japan 6-7 (1), 6-4, 10-7.
