Playing their second match of the day, the unseeded combination of Mahesh Bhupathi and Mary Pierce stormed to the Wimbledon Mixed Doubles title with a straight-sets win over Paul Hanley and Tatiana Perebiynis.

The Indian-French duo, playing their first tournament together, outclassed the similarly unseeded Hanley and Perebiynis, 6-4, 6-2.

With tournament referee Alan Mills sitting courtside for the final Centre Court match of his 23-year stint in the job, Bhupathi and Pierce got off to a formidable start by breaking Ukrainian Perebiynis in the third game.

Strong service games by the Australian Hanley kept his team in the first set, but ultimately they could not match the power and precision of their bigger opponents. Indeed, Pierce's leisurely service preparations were the only thing slowing her side's majestic progress. Pierce and Bhupathi took the first set on the third opportunity, Bhupathi drawing chalk with a powerful serve.

The second set followed a similar pattern, with Perebiynis again broken in the third game, this time to love. And again, Hanley held serve with style to stay in the fight. But Pierce and Bhupathi broke Perebiynis again for 5-2.

It was left to Pierce to serve for the match and despite a spectacularly wild smash, she completed the win with a forehand winner up the centre of the court.

The win caps a successful summer for Pierce. Relieved of some of the pressure inherent to the Singles game, her efforts in the Mixed event this week have underlined the fact that she is fit once again and in cracking good form. On many occasions today she was able to outgun her male opponent.

For Bhupathi, the win will salve the disappointment of his second round loss in the Men's Doubles with the retiring Todd Woodbridge.

Despite today's loss, Hanley and Perebiynis should be happy with their efforts over the fortnight, in an event that has included many fine matches. Along the way they beat three seeded teams, including Kevin Ullyet and Liezel Huber (No.4) in the semi-finals.

The champions, too, disposed of several more fancied teams on their way to the title, including defending champions and No.2 seeds Wayne and Cara Black in the second round, and No.3 seeds Jonas Bjorkman and Lisa Raymond in the semis.