Sania eases past Shaughnessy

August 03, 2006

Sania Mirza breezed past American Meghann Shaughnessy in their first head-to-head meeting to move into the second round of the Acura Classic at San Diego, California, on Tuesday.

The Indian teen beat the local girl 6-3, 6-1 to set up a second round encounter with Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia.

Playing before an enthusiastic crowd on the grandstand, Sania got past the World No. 79 in a little over an hour's time. The American held her first two service games but from that point almost everything went downhill for her.

Sania broke Shaughnessy's serve and went on to take a 5-3 lead in the opening set and then broke her with a close call on breakpoint that went against Shaughnessy.

In the second set, Sania took a 2-1 lead and then went on to break Shaughnessy twice to lead 5-1. Serving for the match, the Indian blasted an ace to start the game and had little trouble after that in sealing the match. Sania had reached the third round of the tournament last year as a qualifier.

Hingis advances

Meanwhile, five years since her last appearance here, Martina Hingis made a triumphant return as she eliminated American qualifier Meilen Tu 6-2, 6-3, in a second-round match.

Warmly welcomed by fans, Hingis struggled initially but regained her rhythm to move ahead in the star-studded tournament, which also has Belgian Kim Clijsters, Russian Maria Sharapova and defending champion Mary Pierce of France in the draw.

Agassi bows out

Five-time champion Andre Agassi was upset 6-4, 6-3 by Italian qualifier Andrea Stoppini in the second round of the Legg Mason Classic in Washington DC.

Also, sixth-seeded Sebastien Grosjean of France fell 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to Wesley Moodie of South Africa and Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark defeated ninth-seeded Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-3.

Top-seeded James Blake avoided the upset bug, advancing past fellow American Kevin Kim 7-5, 3-6, 6-2.