The Hindu : Sport : Sania Mirza storms into semifinals

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Thursday, Jan 11, 2007
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Sania Mirza storms into semifinals

HOBART: Sania Mirza beat her doubles partner, Alicia Molik, 6-4, 6-1 to enter the semifinals of the Moorilla International here on Wednesday.

Sania, however, tasted defeat in the doubles as she and Molik went down 6-7(5), 6-7(1) to second seeds Maria Elena Camerin of Italy and Gisela Dulko of Russia in the quarterfinals.

However, Serena Williams lost 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 to Austria's Sybille Bammer ending a short winning run after a four-month injury layoff.

Williams took the first set easily in only 50 minutes and held an early service break in the second before giving up the set, then the match in two hours, 19 minutes to an unseeded opponent.

Joining Sania in the semifinals was the lone remaining seed, top-seeded Anna Chakvetadze of Russia, who beat China's Jie Zheng 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.

Federer struggles

Meanwhile at Melbourne, Roger Federer pulled through a stern opening test to subdue Radek Stepanek 7-6(2), 6-7(4), 7-6(5), and begin his Australian Open build-up on the right note, at the Kooyong Classic.

Davydenko withdraws

At Sydney, top-seeded Amelie Mauresmo was upset in the quarterfinals of the Sydney International and Nikolay Davydenko, seeded No. 2 in the men's draw, became the fifth high-profile player to retire from the Australian Open warm-up tournament.

Mauresmo, who won the Australian Open last year for her breakthrough Grand Slam singles title, lost 7-5, 6-0 to Serbia's Jelena Jankovic in the quarterfinals.

Bhupathi-Santoro out

In doubles action, Leander Paes and Martin Damm posted a 2-6, 7-5, 10-5 win over Ashley Fisher of Australia and American Tripp Phillips to move into the semifinals.

However, Mahesh Bhupathi and Fabrice Santoro bit the dust with a 1-6, 6-7(6) loss to Paul Hanley of Australia and Kevin Ullyett of Zimbabwe.

Important results:

At Hobart (WTA Moorilla Hobart International): Quarterfinals: Singles: Vasilisa Bardina bt Catalina Castano 3-6, 6-2, 7-5; Sania Mirza bt Alicia Molik 6-4, 6-1; Anna Chakvetadze bt Zheng Jie 4-6, 6-1, 6-1; Sybille Bammer bt Serena Williams 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Doubles: Maria Elena Camerin & Gisela Dulko bt Sania & Molik 6-7(5), 6-7(1).

At Sydney (ATP & WTA Medibank International): Women: Singles: Quarterfinals: Jelena Jankovic bt Amélie Mauresmo 7-5, 6-0; Kim Clijsters bt Shahar Peer 6-2, 6-1; Li Na bt Katarina Srebotnik 7-5, 6-1; Nicole Vaidisova bt Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 6-2.

Men: Singles: Second round: Tomas Berdych bt Ivo Minar 6-7(4), 6-0, 6-4; Paul-Henri Mathieu bt Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, (Davydenko retd.); Carlos Moya bt Fernando Verdasco 4-6, 7-6(9), 6-3; James Blake bt Nathan Healey 6-2, 6-4; Richard Gasquet bt Benjamin Becker 6-3, 6-4; Marcos Baghdatis bt Jan Hernych 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-3; Evgeny Korolev bt Robby Ginepri 0-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Doubles: Quarterfinals: Paul Hanley & Kevin Ullyett bt Mahesh Bhupathi & Fabrice Santoro 6-1, 7-6(6); Martin Damm & Leander Paes bt Ashley Fisher & Tripp Phillips 6-2, 5-7, 10-5.

At Melbourne (Kooyong Classic): Round-robin: Roger Federer bt Radek Stepanek 7-6(2), 6-7(4), 7-6(5); Andy Roddick bt Tommy Haas 6-2, 6-3; Marat Safin bt David Nalbandian 5-7, 6-1, 6-2; Andy Murray bt Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 6-2.

At Auckland (ATP Heineken Open): First round: Dominik Hrbaty bt Jun Woong-sun 6-4, 7-5; Nicolas Massu bt Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-4, 6-2; Juan Ignacio Chela bt Nicolas Mahut 7-6(2), 6-3; Mario Ancic bt Lukas Rosol 6-3, 7-6(4); Mardy Fish bt Robert Kendrick 6-2, 6-4. — Agencies

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