Title for Sania Mirza on comeback in Hobart
Hobart: In a dream start to her second innings after a two-year break, Sania Mirza lifted the WTA Hobart International trophy with partner Nadiia Kichenok after edging out Shaui Peng and Shuai Zhang in the final, here on Saturday.
The unseeded Indo-Ukrainian pair pipped the second seed Chinese team 6-4 6-4 in one hour 21 minutes.
Playing her first tournament after giving birth to son Izhaan, the 33-year-old Sania has begun well in the Olympic year as she warmed up for the Australian Open in style.
It is Sania's 42nd WTA doubles title and first since Brisbane International trophy in 2007 with American partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
Sania did not compete on the WTA circuit in the entire 2018 and 2019 seasons to start a family with Pakistani cricketer husband Shoaib Malik.
Sania and Nadiia began by breaking the Chinese players in the very first game of the match but only to drop serve in the next.
The two pairs played close games towards the end and at 4-4, 40-all, Sania and Nadiia got the crucial break, earning the opportunity to serve out the set.
There was no twist in 10th game with Sania and Nadiia comfortably pocketing the first set.
The second set could not have started better for them as they broke the Chinese rivals to take early lead and consolidated the break with an easy hold.
The game of the Chinese was falling apart as they dropped serve again in the third but broke back immediately to repair some damage.
Sania and Nadiia were now feeling the heat at 0-30 in the sixth game but Peng and Zhang let them hold serve for a 4-2 lead. The Chinese though kept fighting and made it 4-4 with another break in the eighth game.
The Indo-Ukraine team raised its game when it mattered as it broke Peng and Zhang for one final time in the ninth and served out the match in the next game.
Sania and Nadiia split USD 13580 as prize money and eared 280 ranking points each for their winning effort.
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Outrage in Pune as pet dog beaten, hanged by owner's family
Pune: A deeply disturbing incident of animal cruelty has surfaced in Pune, where a pet dog, owned by Omkar Jagtap, was reportedly beaten and hanged to death by the family. The incident has sparked widespread public outrage, with calls for justice from animal rights activists and political leaders.
According to a local foundation’s social media post, the dog had been ‘severely’ beaten before being found hanging from a tree. An SOS call had been made to authorities warning of the family's threats to kill the pet if it wasn’t removed immediately, but help arrived too late.
The post shared graphic details, alleging that Jagtap’s mother was seen mercilessly hitting the dog with a thick stick, leaving injuries across its body. The foundation urged for action, stating, “The dog trusted the family, and they betrayed it. If this doesn’t boil your blood, what will? Omkar Jagtap has murdered his dog, a pet he raised since it was a pup.”
The incident drew sharp condemnation from Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, who demanded action from Pune Police. “I just came across a very, very heartbreaking image of a dog being hung to death by its owner's family in Pune. I am shocked beyond words to see how humans can behave this way. Beyond elections and the other stress of duty, I am appealing to Pune city police to take strict action against those guilty of this. It’s inhumane. Pets are family too," Thackeray wrote on X (formerly Twitter), urging the police to act decisively.
