She had won nine doubles grand slam titles up to that point, the last in the women’s doubles at the Australian Open when she played with Anna Kournikova.

For Bhupathi, the win signifies his ninth grand slam victory in doubles. Coincidentally, one of those titles came with Likhovtseva at Wimbledon in 2002.

It was Likhovtseva who proved to be the weakest link early in the match and when Hingis and Bhupathi broke her opening service game they raced to a 3-1 lead in the first set.

However, the pair’s jubilation was short-lived as the sixth seeds broke back shortly after on the well documented weak serve of Hingis. But again Likhovtseva could not hold her next service game and the champions quickly capitalised to take the first set.

Hingis and Bhupathi started the second set in the best possible fashion with a break of the powerful opening service game of Nestor.

Bhupathi then consolidated the break when he held his own service game shortly after.

However, when Likhovtseva managed to hold her first service game of the match, the Canadian/Russian combination broke Hingis’ next service game to love to level.

Nestor and Likhovtseva then had a chance to move into a commanding position with a break point on the next service game of Bhupathi. But the chance was squandered and in the next game, Hingis and Bhupathi wrestled back the upper hand shortly after with a comfortable break of Likhovtseva’s struggling service game to lead 4-3.

This proved all the leverage Hingis and Bhupathi needed as the pair romped home to take title on their second match point on Nestor’s serve.