By IANS
Indian Wells (California) : Sania Mirza’s fine run at the Pacific Life Open came to an end as she lost to defending champion Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia in the pre-quarterfinals.
Sania, seeded 21st, went down 6-1, 7-6 (4) to World no. 8 Hantuchova in almost two hours to bow out of the $2.1 million event Tuesday.
After losing the first set, the Indian made a valiant attempt to take the match into the decider but the fifth-seeded Slovak raised her game to thwart Sania’s spirited fightback.
The duo traded an early break of service but Sania double faulted in the 11th game giving the Slovak a 6-5 lead. Sania, however, broke Hantuchova in the next game to level the scores and force a tiebreaker.
Sania, ranked 32nd, was hampered by seven double-faults and lost serve four times. Hantuchova on the other hand fired three aces, saving 11 of the 13 break points she faced.
Sania, 21, was troubled by a wrist injury and said she aggravated her injury during the match.
“It was fine, I hit 45 minutes yesterday,” she said. “I was fine when I came on, but I hit a late forehand on one of her returns and then the very next point I hit another very late forehand.
“I couldn’t press the button on the (exercise) bike just now, so it’s very, very sore. It’s swollen.”
In the men’s doubles quarterfinal, Leander Paes and Paul Hanley of Australia, seeded eighth, went down to Canada’s Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonijic of Serbia 2-6, 1-6.