By Jilawatan

Sania Mirza today advanced to the Japan Open semifinals after her second-seeded French opponent Marion Bartoli retired midway through the quarterfinal due to a shoulder injury with the Indian leading 6-4 2-0 here.

With Bartoli hampered by a right shoulder injury, Sania controlled the proceedings in the hour-long match, although the Indian said she did not play all that well.

By Jilawatan

Indian Sania Mirza defeated Viktoriya Kutuzova in straight sets 6-4 6-3 to become the first player to reach the quarter-finals of the HP Open in Japan.

The 22-year-old, ranked 61st in the world, took advantage of a series of double faults from Ukrainian Kutuzova to secure her place in the last eight in Osaka.

By Jilawatan

Seventh seeded Indian Somdev Devvarman demolished 281st ranked Spanish player Gillermo Olaso 6-3, 6-2 in 1 hr 7 minutes to enter the second round of the $1,25,000 Tashkent Challenger, an ATP Challenger series event being played at the Olympic tennis Stadium on Monday. However, India’s wildcard entrant Rohan Bopanna crashed out in the opening round itself.

By Jilawatan

Fifth-seeded Shahar Peer of Israel was upset 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 Monday by Sania Mirza of India in the first round of the Japan Women’s Open.

Fourth-seeded Francesca Schiavone of Italy beat Anne Kremer of Luxembourg 7-5, 6-2. Schiavone had five aces against the unseeded Kremer at Ustubo Tennis Center.

By Jilawatan

India’s Sania Mirza stormed into the $220,000 Japan Open tennis quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Ukraine’s Viktoriya Kutuzova in the second round here Wednesday.

The 22-year-old Hyderabadi, who defeated fifth-seeded Israeli Shahar Peer in the first round, now plays second-seeded Marion Bartoli of France.