Sania Mirza

Fes (Morocco): Sania Mirza has become the first Indian to be seeded No.1 in a WTA event after she was given top billing in both the singles and doubles competitions of the $145,000 Morocco Open, starting on Monday.

The Indian ace, who was out of action for the past two months owing to a knee injury, returned to court in the Tier IV event. She will take on a qualifier, yet to be decided in the first round of singles.

In the doubles competition, the 20-year-old Sania has teamed up with American Vania King. The duo will take on the unseeded Russian-Ukrainian pair of Alla Kudryavtseva and Olga Savchuk in the opening round of the clay-court event.

Meanwhile, US-based Neha Uberoi has reached the last-four stage of qualifiers. She will take on Ioana Raluca Olaru of Romania on Monday. Teaming up with Italian Silvia Disderi, Uberoi will face the Canadian-Russian duo of Stephanie Dubois and Alina Jidkova in the opening round of the doubles format.