MELBOURNE, Australia - Cara Black etched her name even deeper into doubles history on Sunday, completing a career mixed doubles Grand Slam with a win alongside Leander Paes at the Australian Open.
Black and Paes, the No.1 seeds in the first Grand Slam mixed event of the year, faced Ekaterina Makarova and Jaroslav Levinsky in the final and performed exceptionally when it mattered; in the first set they got a decisive break of Makarova's serve at 5-all before Black served it out at love, and they broke Levinsky twice in the second set - first and last game - to win, 75 63.
The only major missing from Black's mixed cabinet was the Australian Open; she won the French Open in 2002 and Wimbledon in 2004 (both with brother Wayne Black) and the US Open in 2008 (with Paes). She is the third woman in the Open Era (also Martina Navratilova and Daniela Hantuchova) and the sixth all-time (also Doris Hart, Margaret Court and Billie Jean King) to do it.
"It's the one that's been eluding me," Black said. "We said it since we started to play together. We talked about it last year. He promised. He made a promise to me we were going to get this one. He's good at keeping his promises."
"What I really respect about Cara as a partner is she is a very sensitive human being. She's got intelligence and she's got hard work," Paes said. "I know for sure every time I step on the court with her she'll put everything out there.
"The glue in our friendship and the respect we have for each other comes from our families and the heritage we try to create as kids of those families. That's what enables us to win Grand Slams."
"He makes you feel like gold," Black replied. "You feel really great out there. You feel he's got your back all the time. There's no better feeling."
Asked if they planned to continue to play, both were cautiously optimistic.
"If he'll have me," Black said. "If he can put up with me."
"Chivalry still lives in India and on the tennis tour," Paes said, "if she'll have me, we'll still be together."
Check out photos from the Aussie Open finals now in the gallery!
Black is also one Grand Slam title away from a career Grand Slam in women's doubles - she has one Australian Open (with Liezel Huber in 2007), three Wimbledons (with Rennae Stubbs in 2004 and with Huber in 2005 and 2007) and one US Open (with Huber in 2008). She is only missing the French.
Black is one of the rare players who come out of Africa and make it big on the Tour. She was asked about that in her post-match press conference.
"Tennis is an expensive sport. I was very privileged growing up. My dad and family were able to support my brothers and myself with what we needed. It's not just racquets - it's strings, shoes, balls, all things that wear out very quickly. It's ongoing. Also, culturally, there's not a lot of motivation. We're trying to change that, especially in Zimbabwe. That's one of the goals me and my husband have - we'd like to try to do something. There's so much potential."
Makarova and Levinsky made it by one seeded team, although that was by a walkover. Hantuchova and Daniel Nestor, the No.2 seeds, had to withdraw just before their second round due to Hantuchova illness.
