Hingis on brink of doubles title

Martina Hingis is closing in on her 15th career grand slam title after she and Mahesh Bhupathi reached the Australian Open mixed doubles final.

They beat Australians Paul Hanley and Samantha Stosur 6-3 6-3 in the semi-finals to reach Sunday’s championship match in Melbourne.

Swiss Hingis and Indian Bhupathi are teaming up for the first time - 25-year-old Hingis becoming the 14th mixed doubles partner of Bhupathi’s career.

Standing between them and the title are the Canadian-Russian combination of Daniel Nestor and Elena Likhovtseva, who overcame Leander Paes and Nathalie Dechy 3-6 6-4 7-6 (10/4).

Like Hingis, Bhupathi has won nine doubles titles at grand slam events, in his case four in men’s doubles and five in mixed which have each been achieved with different women partners.

Intriguingly, Bhupathi has partnered Likhovtseva at 10 previous grand slams, with the pair triumphing at Wimbledon in 2002.

Second seed Kim Clijsters knocked Hingis out of the women’s singles at Melbourne Park earlier this week, at the quarter-final stage.

She is returning to the women’s tour in 2006 after three years in retirement.