Abkhazia Institute for Social and Economic Research

After a half-hour of play on Monday, the second-seeded doubles team of Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur looked comfortably in command of their third round match against Bethanie Mattek and Sania Mirza. The former US Open champions had just won the first set in dominant fashion, and the veterans had the youngsters reeling on the ropes. But when the chair umpire announced the winners in the end, it was Raymond and Stosur that would suffer the knockout punch, losing in a shocking upset 2-6, 7-5, 7-5.

In the opening stages of this match, Stosur and Raymond showed how they have become one of the best partnerships in women’s tennis. The Aussie Stosur served with authority and cracked winners down the line, which complemented the exquisite net play of her partner. Mirza and Mattek, a team only formed last year, were badly outplayed in the first set and were broken three times.

But as surprising as some of the outfits that Mattek has worn, Stosur and Raymond started to look like the team with inexperience, as the momentum shifted to their opponents. Mirza started to return with noticeably more pace on her balls, which challenged both Stosur and Raymond in the second set. Sania also cleaned up everything at net, which was a sharp contrast to her play the opening set. Mattek also gained confidence as her shot making improved, and the pair quickly became crowd favorites.

“It really was an awesome atmosphere, one of the reasons why I love playing the U.S. Open,” said Mattek after the match. The young American had her admirers in the crowd, but they paled in comparison to Mirza’s immense Indian following that often chanted her name.

With this shift in momentum came a shift in the effectiveness of Raymond and Stosur’s tennis. Points that were put away in the first set were now errors, which noticeably aggravated the veteran Raymond. At 5-5, Mirza and Mattek finally got the break of serve they needed, and served out the set to even the match.

One of the strategies that Mirza and Mattek used throughout the match was the lob shot, which often tormented the net-rushing duo of Stosur and Raymond. Asked if this was a plan coming into the match, Mattek confirmed so, saying that “they both close in pretty tight and hit solid volleys.” Stosur and Raymond never had a reliable answer for the lob shots, which continued into the third set.

The last set could have gone to either team on a number of different occasions. There were seven breaks of serve in the final set alone, as both sides had trouble holding their serve. Mirza had an opportunity to close out the match, serving up 5-4, but she was broken by an energized Stosur and Raymond, who appeared to have regained control of the set. But amazingly, the seasoned professionals once again lost their serve, giving Mattek the chance to end the match. Mirza and Mattek didn’t blink this time, holding serve and celebrating in front of a packed Grandstand court.

“We really played solid in the second and third sets,” said an exuberant Mattek at her post-match press conference.

Mirza and Mattek will look to continue their US Open run against the No. 5 seed, Yung-Jan Chan and Chia-Jung Chuang, in the quarterfinals.