New Delhi: Sania Mirza continued her impressive form on the WTA Tour, scalping world No. 9 Nadia Petrova in the second round of the $1.3 million Tier I tournament in San Diego.
According to information received here, the 18-year-old Indian beat the fourth-seeded Russian 6-2, 6-1 in 53 minutes to set up a clash with Japan’s Akiko Morigami.
It was a significant win for Sania who ensured entry into the world’s top-50. Even if she loses in Round 3, she should be No. 47 in next week’s WTA rankings list. Having targeted a top-50 entry by the end of the year, Sania achieved her goal more than three months in advance.
Sania is the first Indian since Ramesh Krishnan to break into the world’s top-50. Ramesh was ranked No. 23 in 1985, while Vijay Amritraj was No. 16 in 1980.
Ramanathan Krishnan was ranked world No. 3 before the Open era. Leander Paes’ highest singles ranking was 73. The highest-ranked Indian before Sania was Nirupama Vaidyanathan (No. 134 in 1997).
Asked what was she aiming at next now that she had reached her stated goal for the year, Sania told reporters after the match, “I only set short-term goals. It was top-50 till now. Anything over this is gravy. I will wait and see.”
This is Sania’s second top-10 victim. She had beaten US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, another Russian, in Dubai in March.
“When you play the world No. 9, nothing is easy, even when the score is love and love,” Sania said.
“I don’t think it was going to be an easy match. I knew that as soon as I relaxed even for one second, she would have jumped on me.
“I had a gameplan? I knew what I wanted to do, and I’m glad I could do what I wanted to. The key was to move her around.”
Sania said she wasn’t surprised by the lopsided result.
“I don’t think when you’re on court you should be surprised. Even before I went on court I believed I could do it. Obviously the scoreline was a little easier than what I expected it to be. But I always knew everyone is beatable, and I could do it.”
Petrova, who played with her right forearm heavily strapped, said: “She (Sania) is a good young player, she has great groundstrokes and hits really solidly. She definitely was not the right player to play in my first match back.”
