Sania Mirza’s days of singledom come to an end tonight with the Indian tennis ace all set to get engaged to childhood friend Sohrab Mirza in a private ceremony here.
Sohrab is an MBA student and son of a city-based businessman.
The 22-year-old Sania and Sohrab (23) will exchange rings at 8.30pm at a posh city hotel tonight.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Double fault : Second man professed his love for Sania Mirza
A second man has been detained after professing his love for Indian tennis star Sania Mirza at her Hyderabad home.
Ms Mirza is to be engaged to a family friend on Friday
Ajay Singh Yadav told the police that he had been in love with Ms Mirza - ranked 85th in the world - for five years and wanted to marry her.
On Wednesday another man, Mohammad Ashraf, was arrested after threatening to kill himself if Ms Mirza did not marry him. Both men are in custody.
The tennis player is to be engaged to a family friend on Friday.
Security has been tightened at Sania Mirza's bungalow in the upmarket Banjara Hills area of Hyderabad.
The police said Ajay Singh, from Noida in Uttar Pradesh, arrived in the city in the morning and rushed to Banjara Hills, saying he wanted to meet the tennis player.
When he did not go away despite warnings, the police took him in to custody.
"I have loved her for the last five years, and want to marry her," Mr Singh said, remaining cool and composed.
Based on an identity card he carried with him, the police identified him as a student at the Dronacharya College of Engineering in Noida.
It was a repeat of Wednesday's drama, in which Mohammed Ashraf, an engineering student from Kerala, tried to enter Ms Mirza's house and threatened to commit suicide if her engagement was not cancelled.
Mr Ashraf, a resident of Manjeri in Malappuram, said he wanted to "propose" to Ms Mirza. He said he fell in love with her two years ago, when he watched her playing tennis in Bangalore.
The Banjara Hills Police charged Mr Ashraf with offences including trespass, criminal intimidation and uttering words or making gestures outraging the modesty of a woman. He was sent before a local court, which remanded him in custody for 14 days.Ajay Singh will also appear in court and be sent to the same jail where Mr Ashraf is lodged.
http://saniamirzaindiaspride.blogspot.com/
Ms Mirza is to be engaged to a family friend on Friday
Ajay Singh Yadav told the police that he had been in love with Ms Mirza - ranked 85th in the world - for five years and wanted to marry her.
On Wednesday another man, Mohammad Ashraf, was arrested after threatening to kill himself if Ms Mirza did not marry him. Both men are in custody.
The tennis player is to be engaged to a family friend on Friday.
Security has been tightened at Sania Mirza's bungalow in the upmarket Banjara Hills area of Hyderabad.
The police said Ajay Singh, from Noida in Uttar Pradesh, arrived in the city in the morning and rushed to Banjara Hills, saying he wanted to meet the tennis player.
When he did not go away despite warnings, the police took him in to custody.
"I have loved her for the last five years, and want to marry her," Mr Singh said, remaining cool and composed.
Based on an identity card he carried with him, the police identified him as a student at the Dronacharya College of Engineering in Noida.
It was a repeat of Wednesday's drama, in which Mohammed Ashraf, an engineering student from Kerala, tried to enter Ms Mirza's house and threatened to commit suicide if her engagement was not cancelled.
Mr Ashraf, a resident of Manjeri in Malappuram, said he wanted to "propose" to Ms Mirza. He said he fell in love with her two years ago, when he watched her playing tennis in Bangalore.
The Banjara Hills Police charged Mr Ashraf with offences including trespass, criminal intimidation and uttering words or making gestures outraging the modesty of a woman. He was sent before a local court, which remanded him in custody for 14 days.Ajay Singh will also appear in court and be sent to the same jail where Mr Ashraf is lodged.
http://saniamirzaindiaspride.blogspot.com/
Friday, July 10, 2009
Sania's lover ends in jail
A young Indian man turned up at the home of tennis star Sania Mirza and threatened to kill himself if the tennis player did not marry him.
Mohammad Ashraf told Imran Mirza, Sania's father, that the tennis star could not marry anyone else as she "was born for me".
He also demanded that her engagement with family friend Sohrab Mirza, scheduled for Friday, be cancelled.
An alarmed Imran Mirza called the police who have taken him into custody.
He has been produced in court and remanded for a fortnight.
Mirza, 22, is one of the top ranking players. She ranks 85 in the world.
'Threatening'
In his complaint to the police, Mr Mirza says Mr Ashraf claims to be in love with the tennis star ever since he saw her playing a match in Bangalore two years ago.
Mr Mirza has also complained that the youth was sending text messages and making threatening calls to his daughter for some time.
Mr Ashraf arrived at Ms Mirza's home in Hyderabad city's upmarket home in Banjara Hills area on Tuesday evening accompanied by his friend Devadeesh Mohanty.
"How can you engage Sania to another person when she was born for me?" Mr Ashraf is reported to have asked the tennis player's father.
"He was threatening to commit suicide if Sania did not marry him," Mr Mirza told the police.
The two men have been arrested and have been charged with trespass and creating a nuisance.
Mr Ashraf has been identified as a civil engineer from Bangalore.Police say they have contacted Bangalore police to find out whether Mr Ashraf is mentally sound.
Sania Mirza is seen during the first round match
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Sania Mirza is seen during the first round match against Germany's Anna-Lena Groenefeld, at the 2009 Wimbledon tennis championships.
Anna-Lena Groenefeld vs Sania Mirza
Sania Mirza returns the ball to Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany at the Wimbledon tennis championships
Sania Mirza reacts after losing a point
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Sania Mirza reacts after losing a point to Romania's Sorana Cirstea during their second round match in the 2009 Wimbledon tennis championships at the All England Club. Cirstea won
Sania Mirza returns ball
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Sania Mirza returns a ball to Romanian number 28 seed Sorana Cirste at the All England Club. Mirza lost 6-4, 6-4 to tumble out of Wimbledon.
Sania Mirza slips seven places
A second-round loss at the Wimbledon championships cost Sania Mirza seven places in the WTA singles ranking as the Indian slipped to 85 but maintained her 37th position in the doubles list.
A failed bid at Wimbledon also affected Somdev Devvarman’s and Prakash Amrittraj’s rankings as the former lost three places to be 132 and latter went down by five spots to be at 159.
Somdev had lost his first qualifying round and Prakash faltered in the third and final round.
Mahesh Bhupathi gained a place to be at eighth in the men’s doubles ranking courtesy a semifinal appearance at the All England Club and Leander Paes maintained his sixth position despite making a shock first round exit.
A failed bid at Wimbledon also affected Somdev Devvarman’s and Prakash Amrittraj’s rankings as the former lost three places to be 132 and latter went down by five spots to be at 159.
Somdev had lost his first qualifying round and Prakash faltered in the third and final round.
Mahesh Bhupathi gained a place to be at eighth in the men’s doubles ranking courtesy a semifinal appearance at the All England Club and Leander Paes maintained his sixth position despite making a shock first round exit.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Sania Mirza returns the ball during a first round match
http://saniamirzaindiaspride.blogspot.comSania Mirza returns the ball during a first round match against Germany's Anna-Lena Groenefeld at the All England Club. Mirza said she had to turn on the aggression to win her first round match at Wimbledon on Monday
Leander Paes and Cara Black defeated Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza
Leander Paes and his partner Cara Black defeated Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza to advance to the mixed doubles quarterfinals of Wimbledon Championships in London.
Top seeded Paes and Zimbabwean Black won 6-2 6-7 (2) 6-3 in the two-hour-and-seven-minute third-round contest, which was the first between the two pairs, on Monday night.
Paes and Black, who won the US Open mixed doubles title last year, were clearly the better pair in a rare match and also took advantage of the unforced errors committed by their opponents.
Thirteenth seeds Bhupathi and Sania committed nine double faults as compared to just one by their opponents though the all-Indian pair sent down more number of aces (6 to 3).
Paes and Black got as many as eight break points in the first set out of which they converted two to win it in 35 minutes.
Top seeded Paes and Zimbabwean Black won 6-2 6-7 (2) 6-3 in the two-hour-and-seven-minute third-round contest, which was the first between the two pairs, on Monday night.
Paes and Black, who won the US Open mixed doubles title last year, were clearly the better pair in a rare match and also took advantage of the unforced errors committed by their opponents.
Thirteenth seeds Bhupathi and Sania committed nine double faults as compared to just one by their opponents though the all-Indian pair sent down more number of aces (6 to 3).
Paes and Black got as many as eight break points in the first set out of which they converted two to win it in 35 minutes.
Wimbledon: Sania Mirza & Chia-Jung Chuang crash lands in second round
Already out of singles competition, Sania Mirza’s doubles campaign also ended after she and her partner Chia-Jung Chuang suffered a straight set loss to Alla Kudryavtseva and Monica Niculescu in the second round of the Wimbledon Championships here on Saturday.
The 15th seeded Indo-Taipei pair lost 2-6, 3-6 to the unseeded Russian-Romanian combination.
Sania and Chia had their chances but failed to grab on those. Out of seven break points they got they could convert just one and paid the price.
Sania’s singles campaign was cut short in the second round by her friend Sorana Cirstea.
The Indian would now look to put up a better show in the mixed doubles event as she has reached the second round with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi.
The 15th seeded Indo-Taipei pair lost 2-6, 3-6 to the unseeded Russian-Romanian combination.
Sania and Chia had their chances but failed to grab on those. Out of seven break points they got they could convert just one and paid the price.
Sania’s singles campaign was cut short in the second round by her friend Sorana Cirstea.
The Indian would now look to put up a better show in the mixed doubles event as she has reached the second round with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi.
Sania battles hard for victory
When she first arrived here — a starry-eyed little girl sporting a pony-tail, chaperoned by doting parents — to play in the girls’ singles championship all those years ago, Sania Mirza might have hardly imagined that the early part of her career as a professional tennis player would the play out the way it has — like a game of snakes and ladders.
In a few packed, emotionally-draining years since making a breakthrough at the Australian Open in January 2005, Sania, aged 22, has been through it all in a hurry — form slumps, a series of injuries, spectacular surges, controversies on and off the courts — and it is hardly a surprise that she often sounds like a world-weary veteran after being forced by circumstances to live her life in fast forward.
Annus horribilis
The year 2008 was something of an annus horribilis for Sania as she started the year at No.32 and ended it just inside the top 100, at 99. A first right wrist injury early in the year required surgery and forced her out of the game for several weeks. This was followed by another right wrist injury just before the Olympics.
In sport, as in life, sometimes it is necessary to plumb the depths to get a clear view of the way up. And Sania, still a long way from becoming the player she can be — the consistent winner that she wants to be in the process of discovering the limits of her own potential — did prove today that she is ready for the arduous task.
In a first round match of the 123rd Wimbledon tennis championships, on a cloudy, warm afternoon, Sania quickly overcame a mid-match slump as she beat Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 to make her way to the second round.
After coming into the championship following her best tournament-run in a long, long time — a semifinal finish in the Aegon Classic on grass — the Indian star was unlikely to have been short on confidence. But after a dream start that saw her open up a 4-0 first set lead, Sania failed to impose herself on an opponent whose arsenal was mostly absent of heavy weaponry.
Then again, even if she blew hot and cold on the No.14 court where every single seat was taken and quite a few Indian fans had to crane their necks standing on the walkways to get a glimpse of the action, the woman from Hyderabad regrouped superbly after taking a break at the end of the second set.
Sania upped the ante on her serve, injected a strut into her court coverage and stepped in courageously for some rewarding fly-swatting on Anna-Lena’s second serves before finally blowing away her German opponent with an avalanche of blistering forehands.
Overall, it wasn’t the sort of performance that elicited a constant volley of Oohs and Aahs from the stands but it was a thoroughly professional demonstration of getting the job done on a big stage without too many missed heartbeats.
Last year, Sania, a bit rusty after coming in following a long injury-break, had failed to convert four matchpoints in the third set, losing to Martinez Sanchez, a qualifier in the second round.
This time, she plays Sorana Cirstea of Romania in the second round.
Not long after Sania returned to the locker room, the sport’s great summiteer got within six match victories of planting his Swiss flag on a peak no man has ever set foot on. Roger Federer, opening the proceedings on a brand new Centre Court in the absence of his friend and great rival Rafael Nadal, got past Yen-Hsun Lu from Chinese Taipei 7-5, 6-3, 6-2.
“Monday 1 p.m. It is a very privileged spot. Gets your heart beating, that’s for sure. He was a tough opponent,” said the five-time champion, after playing for the first time since winning a title — the French Open — that had long proved vanishingly elusive. “Rafa had dominated the championship (French) for so long. For me it was an unbelievable feeling,” said Federer.
Earlier in the day, Andreas Seppi of Italy upset James Blake (seeded 17) of the United States 7-5, 6-4, 7-6(5).
‘’This is something that has been my worst Slam, I don’t know why,” said a disappointed Blake. “Just didn’t feel like myself out there today.”
In a few packed, emotionally-draining years since making a breakthrough at the Australian Open in January 2005, Sania, aged 22, has been through it all in a hurry — form slumps, a series of injuries, spectacular surges, controversies on and off the courts — and it is hardly a surprise that she often sounds like a world-weary veteran after being forced by circumstances to live her life in fast forward.
Annus horribilis
The year 2008 was something of an annus horribilis for Sania as she started the year at No.32 and ended it just inside the top 100, at 99. A first right wrist injury early in the year required surgery and forced her out of the game for several weeks. This was followed by another right wrist injury just before the Olympics.
In sport, as in life, sometimes it is necessary to plumb the depths to get a clear view of the way up. And Sania, still a long way from becoming the player she can be — the consistent winner that she wants to be in the process of discovering the limits of her own potential — did prove today that she is ready for the arduous task.
In a first round match of the 123rd Wimbledon tennis championships, on a cloudy, warm afternoon, Sania quickly overcame a mid-match slump as she beat Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 to make her way to the second round.
After coming into the championship following her best tournament-run in a long, long time — a semifinal finish in the Aegon Classic on grass — the Indian star was unlikely to have been short on confidence. But after a dream start that saw her open up a 4-0 first set lead, Sania failed to impose herself on an opponent whose arsenal was mostly absent of heavy weaponry.
Then again, even if she blew hot and cold on the No.14 court where every single seat was taken and quite a few Indian fans had to crane their necks standing on the walkways to get a glimpse of the action, the woman from Hyderabad regrouped superbly after taking a break at the end of the second set.
Sania upped the ante on her serve, injected a strut into her court coverage and stepped in courageously for some rewarding fly-swatting on Anna-Lena’s second serves before finally blowing away her German opponent with an avalanche of blistering forehands.
Overall, it wasn’t the sort of performance that elicited a constant volley of Oohs and Aahs from the stands but it was a thoroughly professional demonstration of getting the job done on a big stage without too many missed heartbeats.
Last year, Sania, a bit rusty after coming in following a long injury-break, had failed to convert four matchpoints in the third set, losing to Martinez Sanchez, a qualifier in the second round.
This time, she plays Sorana Cirstea of Romania in the second round.
Not long after Sania returned to the locker room, the sport’s great summiteer got within six match victories of planting his Swiss flag on a peak no man has ever set foot on. Roger Federer, opening the proceedings on a brand new Centre Court in the absence of his friend and great rival Rafael Nadal, got past Yen-Hsun Lu from Chinese Taipei 7-5, 6-3, 6-2.
“Monday 1 p.m. It is a very privileged spot. Gets your heart beating, that’s for sure. He was a tough opponent,” said the five-time champion, after playing for the first time since winning a title — the French Open — that had long proved vanishingly elusive. “Rafa had dominated the championship (French) for so long. For me it was an unbelievable feeling,” said Federer.
Earlier in the day, Andreas Seppi of Italy upset James Blake (seeded 17) of the United States 7-5, 6-4, 7-6(5).
‘’This is something that has been my worst Slam, I don’t know why,” said a disappointed Blake. “Just didn’t feel like myself out there today.”
Wimbledon Tennis Championship:Sania Mirza and Chia-Jung Chuang in seconf round
India’s Sania Mirza and Chia-Jung Chuang of Chinese Taipei defeated American Jill Craybas and Carly Gullickson 6-4, 6-2 in the first round of the women’s doubles at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships here Thursday.The Indo-Chinese pair, seeded 15th, will next face Russian Alla Kudryavtseva and Romania’s Monica Niculescu, who beat Spaniard Lourdes Dominguez Lino and Arantxa Parra Santonja 7-5, 4-6, 6-1.
Sania and Chuang had difficulty in holding their service, and so had their opponents in the first set. Sania and Chuang dropped their serve twice, but broke their opponents thrice.
The American pair saved seven break points before Sania and Chuang broke them in the fourth game.
Craybas and Gullickson came back twice, but each time Sania and Chuang got back the lead and finally closed out the set in the 10th game.
Sania and Chuang were in full control in the second set and wrapped it up with two break of serves.
Sania and Chuang had difficulty in holding their service, and so had their opponents in the first set. Sania and Chuang dropped their serve twice, but broke their opponents thrice.
The American pair saved seven break points before Sania and Chuang broke them in the fourth game.
Craybas and Gullickson came back twice, but each time Sania and Chuang got back the lead and finally closed out the set in the 10th game.
Sania and Chuang were in full control in the second set and wrapped it up with two break of serves.
Wimbledon:Sorana Cirstea ends Sania Mirza’s singles campaign
Sania Mirza’s singles campaign at the Wimbledon championships ended with a 4-6 4-6 second round loss to Romanian 28th seed Sorana Cirstea here today.
Unforced errors proved costly for the Indian in the one-hour-22-minute contest as she yet again failed to move beyond the second round here.
Sania played mostly from the baseline but struggled to keep her booming strokes within the court.
The inability to win points on serve added to the woes of the unseeded Indian against an opponent ranked as high as 27th in the world.
Sania had the first opportunity to get a break but Cirstea denied her friend the favour.
Sania then committed a double fault in the fifth game to hand the Romanian a break chance.
Sania saved four breakpoints in that game but another double fault undid all the good work
Unforced errors proved costly for the Indian in the one-hour-22-minute contest as she yet again failed to move beyond the second round here.
Sania played mostly from the baseline but struggled to keep her booming strokes within the court.
The inability to win points on serve added to the woes of the unseeded Indian against an opponent ranked as high as 27th in the world.
Sania had the first opportunity to get a break but Cirstea denied her friend the favour.
Sania then committed a double fault in the fifth game to hand the Romanian a break chance.
Sania saved four breakpoints in that game but another double fault undid all the good work
Wimbledo:Sania Mirza’s lost her clothes
Sorana Cirstea and Sania Mirza are such good friends off the tennis court that when Mirza arrived at Wimbledon with a light suitcase she knew who to turn to for a supply of spare clothes.
Thus it was 19-year-old Cirstea’s kit that saw them both safely through to today’s second round of the women’s singles, where the two girls will face each other across the net.
Fortunately, the wardrobe issue has already been sorted out. Mirza, the 22-year-old from India who beat Germany’s Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 in the first round, has been shopping. “I don’t need to borrow stuff from Sorana again,” she said.
Friendship now has to be put aside as she faces the Romanian 28th seed, who appeared out of nowhere to beat two top 10 players on the way to the quarter-finals at Roland Garros.
Mirza said: “We’re both professionals and we know where to draw the line.”
Thus it was 19-year-old Cirstea’s kit that saw them both safely through to today’s second round of the women’s singles, where the two girls will face each other across the net.
Fortunately, the wardrobe issue has already been sorted out. Mirza, the 22-year-old from India who beat Germany’s Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 in the first round, has been shopping. “I don’t need to borrow stuff from Sorana again,” she said.
Friendship now has to be put aside as she faces the Romanian 28th seed, who appeared out of nowhere to beat two top 10 players on the way to the quarter-finals at Roland Garros.
Mirza said: “We’re both professionals and we know where to draw the line.”
Sania to meet Groenefeld
In the Wimbledon ladies’ singles, India’s Sania Mirza has been drawn to play against Germany’s World No. 51 AnnaLena Groenefeld in the first round.
In doubles, Sania and her Taipei partner ChiaJung Chuang, seeded 15th, will take on the unseeded American pair of Jill Craybas and Carly Gullickson.
In doubles, Sania and her Taipei partner ChiaJung Chuang, seeded 15th, will take on the unseeded American pair of Jill Craybas and Carly Gullickson.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Aegon International : Another loss, out of doubles also
Sania Mirza and Chia-Jung Chuang of Chinese Taipei bowed out of the Aegon International tennis with a first-round defeat against fourth-seeded Australians Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs 5-7, 4-6 on Tuesday.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Sania suffering from hip-strain
Sania Mirza conceded her first round singles match of the qualifying event of the $ 600,000 Aegon International in Eastbourne after suffering a hip-strain.
The Indian ace was trailing 4-6 2-3 against Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania on Sunday when she opted out of the contest.
Sania though will play in the doubles event along with Chia-Jung Chuang of Chinese Taipei.
The unseeded Indo-Taipei duo will take on fourth seeded Australian pair of Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs.
Sania had made the singles and doubles semifinals of the Aegon Classic last week and probably continued tennis througout the week combined with long travel from Birmingham to Eastbourne took a toll on her.
In the men's event Leander Paes and his Czech partner Lukas Dlouhy have been given the top billing and they will open their campaign against Polish pair of Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski.
Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles, seeded second, will play their first round match against Stephen Huss of Australia and local Ross Hutchins.
The Indian ace was trailing 4-6 2-3 against Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania on Sunday when she opted out of the contest.
Sania though will play in the doubles event along with Chia-Jung Chuang of Chinese Taipei.
The unseeded Indo-Taipei duo will take on fourth seeded Australian pair of Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs.
Sania had made the singles and doubles semifinals of the Aegon Classic last week and probably continued tennis througout the week combined with long travel from Birmingham to Eastbourne took a toll on her.
In the men's event Leander Paes and his Czech partner Lukas Dlouhy have been given the top billing and they will open their campaign against Polish pair of Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski.
Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles, seeded second, will play their first round match against Stephen Huss of Australia and local Ross Hutchins.
Sania mirza steamrolls to 78 in the latest WTA singles rankings
Riding on her semifinal appearance in the just concluded Aegon Classic, Indian ace Sania Mirza jumped 20 places to reach 78 in the latest WTA singles rankings, released on Monday.
After a prolonged lean patch, the Hyderabadi did exceedingly well at the grass court event where she also made it to the semifinals of the doubles event.
Sania also rose two rungs to be at 35th spot in the doubles ranking.
However, there was no change in the men's doubles rankings where Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi retained their fifth and ninth spots respectively.
Somdev Devvarman, who is struggling these days, also remained unchanged at 132, though he continues to be India's numero uno player.
After a prolonged lean patch, the Hyderabadi did exceedingly well at the grass court event where she also made it to the semifinals of the doubles event.
Sania also rose two rungs to be at 35th spot in the doubles ranking.
However, there was no change in the men's doubles rankings where Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi retained their fifth and ninth spots respectively.
Somdev Devvarman, who is struggling these days, also remained unchanged at 132, though he continues to be India's numero uno player.
Aegon Classic: Sania-Chuang pair crashes out
Her singles campaign over, Sania Mirza's doubles campaign also came to an end after the Indian and her Chinese Taipei partner Chuang Chia-Jung lost in straight sets in the semifinals of the Aegon Classic tennis tournament here.
The third-seeded Indo-Taipei pair lost 5-7 3-6 to the top seeded Zimbabwean-American pair of Cara Black and Liezel Huber last night.
Sania had earlier crashed out of the singles competition of the USD 220,000 Wimbledon warm-up event after losing to 13th seeded Slovakian Magdalena Rybarikova in the semifinals
The third-seeded Indo-Taipei pair lost 5-7 3-6 to the top seeded Zimbabwean-American pair of Cara Black and Liezel Huber last night.
Sania had earlier crashed out of the singles competition of the USD 220,000 Wimbledon warm-up event after losing to 13th seeded Slovakian Magdalena Rybarikova in the semifinals
Sania Mirza hits a shot during her women's semi-final tennis match against Magdalena Rybarikova
Sania Mirza of India hits a shot during her women's semi-final tennis match against Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham, England, Saturday June 13, 2009http://saniamirzaindiaspride.blogspot.com
Aegon Classic: Sania Mirza watches the ball during her women's semi-final tennis match
Sania Mirza of India watches the ball during her women's semi-final tennis match against Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham, England, Saturday June 13, 2009http://saniamirzaindiaspride.blogspot.com
Aegon Classic : Sania Mirza in action in semis
Sania Mirza of India hits a shot during her women's semi-final tennis match against Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham, England, Saturday June 13, 2009http://saniamirzaindiaspride.blogspot.com
Sania Mirza reacts after winning her women's quarter-final
Sania Mirza reacts after winning her women's quarter-final tennis match against Melinda Czink of Hungary at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham, England, Friday June 12, 2009http://saniamirzaindiaspride.blogspot.com
Aegon Classic 3rd round : Sania Mirza in action
Sania Mirza of India hits a return shot during her women's third-round tennis match against Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham, England, Thursday, June 11, 2009http://saniamirzaindiaspride.blogspot.com
Sania Mirza of India hits a return shot during her women's third-round tennis match
Sania Mirza of India hits a return shot during her women's third-round tennis match against Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham, England, Thursday, June 11, 2009http://saniamirzaindiaspride.blogspot.com
Sania express halted by Rybarikova in Birmingham Semis
It was expected to be an all Asian affair at Birmingham as India'sSania Mirza won the first set in her match against SlovakianMagdalena Rybarikova with China's Na Li already having booked a place in Sunday's final with a win over Maria Sharapova.
However, a fantastic turnaround from the 20-year old Rybarikova saw her spoil a perfectly good script at the Aegon Classic handing Mirza a doughnut in the second set and overcoming a late rally from the Indian tennis star on the way to clinching a tight third set 6-3.
Mirza had beaten Rybarikova in their only previous meeting amazingly in her only other semi-final appearance of the year on the hard courts at Pattaya 6-4, 5-7, 6-1.
Sania started the match well hammering her first ace to close out the opening game. Sania had a sniff of a chance at 30-30 in Rybarikova's opening service game, but the Slovakian held firm to hang on to her serve.
A second double fault from Sania in the third game gave Rybarikova three break points, and the 20-year old needed just one, breaking the Mirza serve for a 2-1 lead.
The lead didn't last long as Mirza broke back for 2-2, before holding on to her own serve to 15, for a 3-2 lead.
Mirza continued to press home her advantage as she broke the Rybarikova serve again in the 6th game and made it four games in a row holding her serve to love to take a decisive 5-2 lead.
Rybarikova stemmed the run of games against her, finally holding on to serve for the first time in three games, but another strong service game from Sania handed the Indian star the first set 6-3 in just 27 minutes.
Sania continued to dominate the early exchanges in the second set and had two break points in the opening game. However Rybarikova showed the stomach for a fight as she held on to a crucial first service game.
Rybarikova broke the Mirza serve in the following game and played some smart tennis to hold on to her own serve for a three love lead.
Mirza lost the plot completely in the second set, dropping her serve on two further occasions, and only winning 14 of 41 points on her way to losing the set 6-0.
Rybarikova took the momentum into the third set holding on to her serve in a tight opening game before breaking the Mirza serve for the fifth time in the match for a 2-0 lead. Rybarikova had rattled off eight games in a row in what was an absolutely amazing turnaround.
Like a giant awoken from her slumber Sania finally registered herself on the scoreboard for the first time in 40 minutes breaking straight back to love, indicating there was still some life left in this contest.
A crucial fourth game in the context of the match went to deuce, but Mirza held her nerve and her serve.
After Rybarikova slipped in a tight service game, Mirza was in trouble again on her serve, but saved a couple of break points on her way to leveling the set at 3-3.
Rybarikova showed her class serving out a love game to put the pressure straight back on Mirza who was serving behind in the set.
Mirza couldn't handle it as Rybarikova produced another outstanding game to break the Mirza serve and pull ahead 5-3. Rybarikova settled the match on her first match point to end a disappointing afternoon for the Indian.
Earlier in the day Chinese star Na Li booked a place in the final getting the better of former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova for the first time in six attempts, in straight sets 6-4, 6-4.
Sharapova served an exceptional 87% in the opening set, yet dropped her serve on two occasions, while breaking just the once herself.
Both players struggled to hold on to their serves in the second set as they broke each other on 7 occasions out of the 10 games played. Li was able to hold serve on that one extra occasion that mattered to close out the match in a shade under an hour and a half.
However, a fantastic turnaround from the 20-year old Rybarikova saw her spoil a perfectly good script at the Aegon Classic handing Mirza a doughnut in the second set and overcoming a late rally from the Indian tennis star on the way to clinching a tight third set 6-3.
Mirza had beaten Rybarikova in their only previous meeting amazingly in her only other semi-final appearance of the year on the hard courts at Pattaya 6-4, 5-7, 6-1.
Sania started the match well hammering her first ace to close out the opening game. Sania had a sniff of a chance at 30-30 in Rybarikova's opening service game, but the Slovakian held firm to hang on to her serve.
A second double fault from Sania in the third game gave Rybarikova three break points, and the 20-year old needed just one, breaking the Mirza serve for a 2-1 lead.
The lead didn't last long as Mirza broke back for 2-2, before holding on to her own serve to 15, for a 3-2 lead.
Mirza continued to press home her advantage as she broke the Rybarikova serve again in the 6th game and made it four games in a row holding her serve to love to take a decisive 5-2 lead.
Rybarikova stemmed the run of games against her, finally holding on to serve for the first time in three games, but another strong service game from Sania handed the Indian star the first set 6-3 in just 27 minutes.
Sania continued to dominate the early exchanges in the second set and had two break points in the opening game. However Rybarikova showed the stomach for a fight as she held on to a crucial first service game.
Rybarikova broke the Mirza serve in the following game and played some smart tennis to hold on to her own serve for a three love lead.
Mirza lost the plot completely in the second set, dropping her serve on two further occasions, and only winning 14 of 41 points on her way to losing the set 6-0.
Rybarikova took the momentum into the third set holding on to her serve in a tight opening game before breaking the Mirza serve for the fifth time in the match for a 2-0 lead. Rybarikova had rattled off eight games in a row in what was an absolutely amazing turnaround.
Like a giant awoken from her slumber Sania finally registered herself on the scoreboard for the first time in 40 minutes breaking straight back to love, indicating there was still some life left in this contest.
A crucial fourth game in the context of the match went to deuce, but Mirza held her nerve and her serve.
After Rybarikova slipped in a tight service game, Mirza was in trouble again on her serve, but saved a couple of break points on her way to leveling the set at 3-3.
Rybarikova showed her class serving out a love game to put the pressure straight back on Mirza who was serving behind in the set.
Mirza couldn't handle it as Rybarikova produced another outstanding game to break the Mirza serve and pull ahead 5-3. Rybarikova settled the match on her first match point to end a disappointing afternoon for the Indian.
Earlier in the day Chinese star Na Li booked a place in the final getting the better of former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova for the first time in six attempts, in straight sets 6-4, 6-4.
Sharapova served an exceptional 87% in the opening set, yet dropped her serve on two occasions, while breaking just the once herself.
Both players struggled to hold on to their serves in the second set as they broke each other on 7 occasions out of the 10 games played. Li was able to hold serve on that one extra occasion that mattered to close out the match in a shade under an hour and a half.
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