Australian Open: Zheng Jie misses chance to reach mixed doubles final

Melbourne, Jan 24 (IANS) Chinese player Zheng Jie and her American partner Scott Lipsky failed to reach the mixed doubles final at the Australian Open as they lost to Kristina Mladenovic-Daniel Nestor 3-6, 1-6 here Friday.

The first set lasted 25 minutes and ended with a break. Nestor’s side took an early lead in the second set with a break and then raced to 5-1 on way to victory, reports Xinhua.

Nestor’s team took victory with four breaks of serve, going through with 17 winners and just eight unforced errors.

Canadian Nestor and Mladenovic will take on India’s Sania Mirza and Romanian Horia Tecau in Sunday’s final.

Nestor is bidding for his fourth mixed trophy and his second with Mladenovic after the pair won Wimbledon last summer following a runner-up showing at the French Open.

The final will be Nestor’s third mixed doubles final in Australia after lifting titles in 2007 and 2011.

He won the two titles with Elena Likhovtseva in 2007 and with Slovenian Katerina Srebotnik in 2011.