Tough opener for Sania-Bryanne

NEW YORK: Sania Mirza may have crossed the first hurdle in the singles event but the Hyderabadi girl, partnering Austrian Bryanne Stewart, faces a tough opener in the doubles event at the US Open where they meet 11th seeds Emilie Loit and Nicole Pratt.

The unseeded Sania-Bryanne duo will have to be at their best when they face the French-Austrian pair and if they manage to edge past them, Sania and Bryanne would have easier opponents in their second round match.

They will face the winners of the other first round match, which pits Mervana Jugic-Salkic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and her Czech partner Michaela Pastikova against the American duo of Teryn Ashley and Jessica Kirkland.

Bryanne, however, is no pushover. The Austrian reached the third round of the doubles event here last year.