Sania loses in AIG Japan Open semi-final

Saturday, October 8, 2005 (New Delhi):

Sania Mirza has lost in the semi-final of the US$ 170,000 AIG Japan Open Tennis Tournament today after losing 2-6, 4-6 to France's Tatiana Golovin.

Tatiana set up a summit clash with Czech Republic's Nicole Vaidisova who beat Russia'a Maria Kirilenko 6-4, 6-2.

The Indian tennis star made a brave comeback from 5-0 down in the second set after being swept away in the first but unforced errors once again came back to haunt her.

An off-colour Sania, who upset Vera Zvonareva of Russia in a thrilling three-setter yesterday, ran out of steam in the first set as the Frenchwoman breezed through the first set.

Sania fights back

Egged by the cheering crowd the 37-ranked Sania rallied from behind (5-0) to give a scare to her opponent in the second set.

Sania found her lethal power-packed forehand winners going and broke the 25-ranked Frenchwoman twice.

After the brief rain interruption with Tatiana leading 5-2, Sania pocketed the next two games but a few unforced errors on crucial points halted her progress.

Comfortable lead

Golovin took a comforatble 40-15 lead in the 10th game before Sania's wide backhand on the third matchpoint handed over the match to Tatiana.

"I don't think I played bad. When I had two match points against me, I played like I had nothing to lose. I just wanted to get a game, and then I saw an opening," said 18-year-old Mirza, the first Indian woman to win a WTA event.

"At 5-4, it could have gone either way, but then I made a couple of loose shots," she added.

"She (Golovin) was retrieving the balls so well. I started well, but then it got windy, and I think she adjusted to the conditions better than me. She was hitting winners and played a solid match."

Sania's forehand found a special mention by Tatiana

"She hits her forehand cross so hard that they are difficult to hit back. I had to play my own game and somehow she started to make unforced errors but that's how tennis goes."