Sania and Martina’s 41-match win streak ends

World number one doubles pairing Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza lost for the first time in 41 matches, at the Qatar Open on Thursday.

They went down 2-6, 6-4, 10-5 to Russian pair Elena Vesnina and Daria Kasatkina in the quarter-finals. Prior to the defeat in Doha, the last time the pair, who have won three doubles Grand Slams in a row, had lost was way back in Cincinatti last August.

The all-conquering pair had already shown signs they were struggling this week in Doha, having edged through the previous round in three sets against an unseeded Chinese pairing. But their luck finally ran out against the Russians despite a dominant first set performance.