Mirza, Devvarman charge into round two at US Open

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Third-seed US tennis player Venus Williams returns a shot to Russia's Vera Dushevina during the first round of the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre in New York. Williams won 6-7, 7-5, 6-3.

NEW YORK, Sept 1(AFP): India's Sania Mirza and Somdev Devvarman have already had a successful US Open only one day into the year's last Grand Slam tournament thanks to impressive first-round triumphs for each Monday.
In a historic double for their homeland, Mirza defeated Olga Govortsova of Belarus 6-2, 3- 6, 6-3, while qualifier Devvarman downed Portugal's Frederico Gil 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 to reach the second round on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts.
Mirza, who has struggled after a right wrist injury last year, went 1-5 in one 2009 stretch but fought through the pain and fear of a career-threatening injury to the Birmingham semi- finals in June and an important US Open victory.
Devvarman, a two time US college champion who reached the Chennai final in his hometown back in January, reached a Slam main draw for the first time in four tries with three qualifying wins, then made the most of his opportunity.