Sania sends Martina packing
Afp, Los Angeles
Marion Bartoli's struggle to find the form that swept her to a surprise Wimbledon final continued Tuesday as she fell in the first round of this 600,000-dollar WTA hardcourt tournament.The sixth seed from France, who received a first-round bye, fell to Russian Maria Kirilenko 7-6, 6-3. Also losing on Tuesday was seventh seed Martina Hingis, who suffered a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 loss to Sania Mirza of India. A finalist here in 1998, Hingis was making her first appearance in the tournament since 2001. The Swiss star had faced the 20-year-old Mirza three times - all in 2006 - and won twice. Mirza, finding her fitness after her season was disrupted by a knee injury, has had an impressive hardcourt season so far, upsetting three seeded players en route to reaching the final at Stanford. She had reached the semifinals at Cincinnati the week before and progressed to the quarterfinals at San Diego last week. Russia's Maria Sharapova, the world No. 2 who won her first title of the season on Sunday in San Diego, is the top seed.
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Sania Mirza of India hits a backhand against Martina Hingis of Switzerland during her match at the East West Bank Classic in Carson, California on Tuesday. PHOTO: AFP |
