Sania-Maria storm into second round

Sania Mirza and her new partner Maria Vento-Kabchi of Venezuela stormed into the doubles second round of the $1 million Dubai Duty Free Women’s Open tennis tournament on Thursday.
The Indo-Venezuelan duo got the better of Russian pair of Maria Kirilenko and Anastasia Myskina in straight sets 6-3 6-4 in the first round of the WTA Tier II tournament.

They will next play Kveta Peschke of Czech Republic and Francesca Schiavone of Italy for a semifinal berth.

Sania, who played with a heavily strapped elbow, maintained her composure and was well-aided by Maria against the nimble footed Russian girls for a comfortable looking score.

The 36th ranked Indian, however, has indicated that her right elbow, which was troubling her since Bangalore Open, where she won the doubled title last week, may keep her from participating in the next week’s Qatar Total Open in Doha.