Sania, Paes win at Indian Wells

Saturday, 15 March 2008

Sania Mirza made it to the third round of the elite USD 2,100,000 Pacific Life Open defeating Ukrainian Olga Savchuk in a tough three-setter. Sania, ranked 32 in the world, lost the first set but recovered in time to record a 4-6 6-1 6-4 win over her 96th-ranked opponent at Indian Wells, California, in the United States. The Hyderabad girl, who is seeded 21 in the Tier I event, received a bye in the first round. The Indian star is ranked seventh in the doubles draw. She and her partner, American Bethanie Mattek, will take on Belarus' Tatiana Poutchek and Anastasia Rodionova of Russia in the second round. The Indo-US pair had beaten Poland's Klaudia Jans and Gabriela Navratilova of the Czech Republic 6-3 6-2 in their opening encounter. In the USD 3,589,000 men's Masters Series event being held at the same venue, Leander Paes and his Australian partner Paul Hanley, seeded eight in the draw, defeated the Spanish duo of Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer 6-3 6-4 in the first round on Friday. Sixth seeded Mahesh Bhupathi and Bahamas' Mark Knowles face German Christopher Kas and Rogier Wassen of the Betherlands in their opening match.

 

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