By IANS
Perth : Sania Mirza was first felled by cramps and then Meghann Shaughnessy as India went down 1-2 to second seeds United States in the opening match of the Hyundai Hopman Cup at Perth’s Burswood Dome Saturday.
Sania was hit by cramps when she was leading 3-1 in the third and final set before she lost 3-6, 6-4, 3-6 in the opening singles. A little later Mardy Fishy handed Rohan Bopanna a straight sets loss 6-2, 6-4. But then the Indian pair maintained their unbeaten record – they won all their ties in the 2006 edition – as they beat the Americans 6-4, 6-4 in 71 minutes.
Despite losing her singles, Sania was pleased with her performance. “It was my first match since October, so it’s tough to come out and face such a tough team. Meghann has been a top 20 player and is a great player, so it’s a great but tough match to get into,” said Sania.
“It was two and a half hours (actually 132 minutes) for the first match, so it was quite a way to start the season. I’m happy with the way I played, even though it was a little up and down. We still have our mixed doubles record going, though, so that was good.”
Sania was perfectly poised to give India a flying start when she was leading 3-1 in the final set. But she dropped the next five games after suffering from cramps.
“I was cramping at the end of the second set and it got worse in the third,” she said. “It started in my hamstring and by the end it was in my toes. It was very hard, but Meghann was too good for me.”
Sania, currently ranked 31 in the world, she is hoping that if she stays healthy, that will be a lot closer to the top 10 by 2009.
“I feel good and my main goal is to stay healthy for all of 2008. Last year I missed a few months, so this upcoming year I’d like to play the whole season,” she said. “Even though I was out injured and had surgery I started playing well in the summer in America, got a lot out of confidence from beating top players and it was one of my best years.
“If I had a choice, I’d go up another 30, but I haven’t set myself a number. The plan is to keep moving up and it’s important that I stay healthy.”
India next face Australia in Tuesday’s day session on the New Year’s Day and then meet Czech Republic on Jan 3.
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.
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, cramps got the better of the Indian ace.
This was Shaughnessy’s third win against one loss in four encounters between the two players.
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.