Tennis: Hingis back in major doubles final after 12 years

Martina Hingis (left) of Switzerland and Flavia Pennetta of Italy in their women's doubles quarterfinal  match against Kveta Peschke of the Czech Republic and Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia on Day Nine of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie
Martina Hingis (left) of Switzerland and Flavia Pennetta of Italy in their women's doubles quarterfinal  match against Kveta Peschke of the Czech Republic and Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia on Day Nine of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Sept 2, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. -- PHOTO: AFP

NEW YORK (AFP) - Martina Hingis turned back the clock to reach the US Open women's doubles final on Thursday, 12 years after her last run to a title match at the majors.

The Swiss 33-year-old and her Italian partner Flavia Pennetta made the championship match with a 6-3, 6-4 win over third seeds Sania Mirza and Cara Black, the India-Zimbabwe pairing.

Hingis last appeared in a doubles final at a Grand Slam in 2002 at the Australian Open where she won the title with Anna Kournikova, one of nine doubles crowns she captured during her heydey "It's great to be out here again, I am enjoying every second and I really feel the energy of the crowd," said Hingis who also captured the 1998 doubles title in New York with Jana Novotna.

"I got goosebumps over the last three games. There was so much tension and nerves out there as I don't know how many more chances I will get to play again. I enjoy every second." In the final in Saturday, Hingis and Pennetta, who are playing their first Grand Slam tournament together, will face Russian fourth seeds Elena Vesnina and Ekaterina Makarova for the title.

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