Mirza, Williams advance at Japan Open tennis
Thursday, 4 October 2007
TOKYO, Oct 3 (AFP): India's Sania Mirza struggled while Venus Williams barely worked up a sweat, but both women booked their spots Wednesday in the quarter-finals of the Japan Open.
The second-seeded Mirza had to fight back from a service break down twice in the final set against Casey Dellacqua of Australia before taking the match 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
The Indian star, said experience proved the difference when it counted, keeping her cool despite losing her serve in the first and fifth games of the decider.
She came back both times to even the score at 2-2 and 3-3, and then took the momentum with two service aces to love for a 4-3 lead. The 84th-ranked Australian, who looked nervous torwards the end, hung in to hold for 4-4, but she hit a forehand long on a break point in the 10th game -- the first match point -- to surrender the quarter-final seat.
The second-seeded Mirza had to fight back from a service break down twice in the final set against Casey Dellacqua of Australia before taking the match 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
The Indian star, said experience proved the difference when it counted, keeping her cool despite losing her serve in the first and fifth games of the decider.
She came back both times to even the score at 2-2 and 3-3, and then took the momentum with two service aces to love for a 4-3 lead. The 84th-ranked Australian, who looked nervous torwards the end, hung in to hold for 4-4, but she hit a forehand long on a break point in the 10th game -- the first match point -- to surrender the quarter-final seat.