The Hindu : Sport : Sania sails into the second round

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Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007
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Sania sails into the second round

Safin squeezes through his opener at Los Angeles

— Photo: AP

SMOOTH START: Sania Mirza had an easy opener in the Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open in Cincinnati on Monday.

Cincinnati: Third seed Sania Mirza sailed into the second round of the $175,000 WTA Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open with a straight set win against unseeded American Abigail Spears on Monday.

Spears tried her best against the Indian but Sania never allowed her any leeway and cruised to a comprehensive 6-4, 6-3 win.

Sania’s serve stood her in good stead as she won 69 per cent of her first serve points.

Getting into her stride

In both the sets, the Hyderabadi had to shrug off her inertia but once she settled into her strides, there was no looking back.

Spears raced to a 3-0 lead in the first set before Sania hit back with vengeance and won six of the next seven games to pocket the set.

In the second set as well, Sania was a break down before she stepped on gas and swept aside her opponent.

The world No. 38 is on the same end of the bracket as top-seeded Russian Anna Chakvetadze, but would not face former champion Patty Schnyder until the final.

Made to work hard

At Los Angeles, Former World No. 1 Marat Safin battled past Australia’s Chris Guccione 6-3, 6-7, 7-6(2) in the opening round of the ATP Countrywide Classic on Monday.

Third seed Safin, who sacked his long-time coach Alexander Volkov last week after a run of poor results, clinched the match after the pair had duelled for just over two hours.

Playing in his first tournament since losing to Roger Federer in the third round of Wimbledon last month, Safin unleashed eight aces against his left-handed opponent, four of them in the third set.

Robredo ousted

At Stuttgart, Gael Monfils upset second-seeded Tommy Robredo 7-6(5), 6-2 in the first round of the Mercedes Cup on Monday.

Important results:

At Cincinnati (WTA Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open): First round: Akiko Morigami bt Camille Pin 4-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(2); Lilia Osterloh bt Viktoriya Kutuzova 6-2, 6-3; Sania Mirza bt Abigail Spears 6-4, 6-3.

At Los Angeles (ATP Countrywide Classic): First Round: Nicolas Kiefer bt Teimuraz Gabashvili 6-3, 6-3; Dmitry Tursunov bt Danai Udomchoke 6-1, 6-4; Marat Safin bt Chris Guccione 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(2).

At Stuttgart (ATP Mercedes Cup): First round: Marin Cilic bt Benjamin Becker 6-3, 6-2; Fernando Verdasco bt Florian Mayer 6-3, 6-2; Jiri Vanek bt Ivan Navarro Pastor 6-1, 6-1; Gael Monfils bt Tommy Robredo 7-6(5), 6-2; Tomas Berdych bt Nicolas Lapentti 6-1, 6-1; Juan Ignacio Chela bt Max Mirnyi 6-3, 6-3; Stefan Koubek bt Jose Acasuso 6-2, 7-5; Juan Monaco bt Jan Hernych 6-2, 6-1. At Palermo (WTA Palermo International):

First round: Eva Birnerova bt Michaella Krajicek 6-2, 6-4; Flavia Pennetta bt Aravane Rezai 6-3, 7-5.

At Amersfoort (ATP Dutch Open): First round: Evgeny Korolev bt Dominik Hrbaty 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-3; Nicolas Devilder bt Agustin Calleri 6-3, 6-1; Mariano Zabaleta bt Kristof Vliegen 6-3, 6-3; Robin Haase bt Felix Mantilla 6-3, 6-2; Filippo Volandri bt Oscar Hernandez 6-2, 6-4; Mikhail Youzhny bt Martin Vassallo Arguello 6-2, 7-5; Igor Andreev bt Janko Tipsarevic 6-1, 6-1; Steve Darcis bt Marc Gicquel 6-3, 6-4; Thiemo de Bakker bt Nicolas Massu 7-6(7), 7-6(5). — Agencies

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