Sania Back to Top 50

Her second-round exit from the Australian Open notwithstanding, Sania Mirza broke back into the top-50 of the WTA rankings, rising to the 48th spot in the list issued today. The Indian ace, who lost to Japan's Aiko Nakamura (56) to make an early exit from the first grand slam of the year, has 453 ranking points.

Sania's doubles ranking has also improved marginally and she is now placed 23rd with 1135 points, up two places from her previous standing.

Sania will next be seen in action in the $170,000 Pattaya Open in east of Bangkok from February 3 to 11, where she will be up against -- apart from Nakamura -- Russian Maria Kirilenko, Belarusian Victoria Azarenka and Australia's Alicia Molik.

Australian Open: Lost in Doubles

Sania Mirza and Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain lost to the sixth seeded duo of Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and Ai Sugiyama of Japan 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 6-2 in their third round match of the women`s doubles event at the Australian Open.

Sania will later play the first round of the mixed doubles event partnering Fabrice Santoro of France.

Australian Open

Sania Mirza lost in the Australian open second round in straight sets 3-6, 2-6 to Aiko Nakamura of Japan. Nakamura, who had lost to Mirza in straight sets in Tokyo two years ago ranked 12 places below Sania’s ranking. Sania’s match started late due to the intermittent rain that interrupted all matches that were scheduled in the outer courts. The rain delay proved to be unlucky for Sania.

But Sania won her doubles first round match. Sania’s win in the first round of the doubles alongside Anabel Medina Garrigues gave her something to be happy about after a tough loss in the singles. Sania and Anabel beat Sandra Kloesel of Germany and Aravane Rezai of France 6-1, 6-4 in the first round match of the doubles competition. In the second round Sania and Anabel will now play Ekterina Bychkova of Russia and Martina Muller of Germany.

Chakvetadze stops Sania in SemiFinal

Sania Mirza's dream run came to an end after she lost to top seed and world number 13 Anna Chakvetadze of Russia in the semi-final of the Moorilla International Open in Hobart on Thursday. Sania went down 6-4, 6-1 to her fancied opponent, bringing an end to her fine run in the season-opening WTA event, a lead-up to the Australian Open beginning on Monday.

Yesterday, Sania defeated her close friend and doubles partner Alicia Molik 6-4, 6-1 in quarter-final match.

Sania in Hobart Quarter-Final

Sania Mirza has moved into the quarter-finals of the Moorilla International Open women's tennis tournament in Hobart, Tasmania with a win over Romina Oprandi of Italy.

The Indian, who had upset fourth seed Maria Kirilenko of Russia (World rank 29) on Monday beat Oprandi 6-7, 6-3, 6-0 in the second round.

Sania, ranked 66th in the world, is a wild-card entrant in this tournament.