By IANS
Perth : Sania Mirza, returning to competitive tennis after a gap, put up a big fight before going down in three sets to Meghann Shaughnessy of the US in the opening singles of the Hopman Cup at Burswood Dome here Saturday.
Shaughnessy, ranked 53rd in comparison to Mirza’s 31st, won 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in 132 minutes.
After the women’s singles lasting two and a quarter hours went in America’s favour, Mardy Fish sewed up the tie beating India’s Rohan Bopanna in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 in just 72 minutes to give US an unbeatable 2-0 lead.
The women’s singles was a preview both players had of the other’s game before they get together as a pair in women’s doubles at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
India’s next match is against Australia on Jan 1 and then Czech Republic, Jan 3.
Sania was facing Shaughnessy as the current Australian Open champion Serena Williams not well enough to take her place in the opening session.
Shaughnessy won the first four games against Sania, who looked badly out of match practice, having missed a long period due to injury. Shaughnessy quickly won the first set and then had broke through for a 2-0 lead in second.
Sania made a fight of it as she came back to win the second 6-3.
In the decider, the gusty Sania was 3-1 up and then faltered on the home stretch, as she lost the next five games on the trot.
Interestingly, Sania and Shaughnessy have clashed three times in singles, with the American holding a 2-1 edge. That edge became 3-1 Saturday.
In the men’s singles, Mardy Fish gave Bopanna little chance in a straight sets win.
Group A has United States, India, Czech Republic and hosts Australia, while Group B comprises Serbia, represented by Novak Djokovic and Jelena Jankovic, Chinese Taipei, France and Argentina are in the group B.
Sania and Bopanna are playing the Hopman Cup for the second year running. Last year Sania won two of her three matches, while her doubles pairing with Bopanna went undefeated. Sania had led India to a shock win over Czech Republic in the first tie of 2006 Hopman Cup.