Sania makes first round exit in Los Angeles

New Delhi, Aug. 9 (PTI): Sania Mirza charged up late against Jelena Jankovic but was forced out in straight sets in the singles first round of the $ 600,000 JP Morgan Chase Open tennis tournement at Los Angeles.

Sania, who threw away the first set, stretched the second set into a tie-breaker but the world number 28th clinched the match 6-2 7-6 (7/3) in one hour and 23 minutes yesterday.

The 44th ranked Indian, who struggled to hold her serves in the first set, tried to make a comeback in the match by exchanging two break points in the second.

The experienced Jankovic put paid to her plans by dragging the match into the tie-breaker, where she sealed the matter without much effort.

Sania's challenge in the doubles had already ended with her South African partner Liezel Huber and she losing to Ana Ivanovic of Serbia and Maria Kirilenko of Russia in the first round.