Sania moves into Sunfeat Open semis

Kolkata, Sep 22 (UNI) In a rare display of boom-boom tennis, Sania Mirza's thunderous forehands prevailed over a fighting Aravane Rezai of France as she booked a place in the semi-finals of the Sunfeast Open WTA tour event here today.

Sania won the Sunfeast Open quarters 6-4, 7-5.

In a match that lasted one hour 44 minutes, Sania and Rezai both gave displayed a tremendous game of serve and volley as both rallied to have control over the baseline.

The match began on an even note with both the players exchanging breaks for the first three games. However, Sania held on to her serve in the fourth game to go 3-2 up.

Rezai drew level again in the eighth game when she capitalised on a long return from Sania to break make it 4-4. However, a weak serve and a weaker forehand from Rezai meant Sania earning a crucial break.

The tenth game saw making Rezai fighting tooth and nail to get the break back and a forehand return to make it 40-30 in favour of Sania, made the Indian ace clap. However, she prevailed to take the set 6-4.

The second set was a highflier for the Frenchwoman. She went 4-1 up with one break in her kitty. And then catastrophe struck. She stretched to return a Sania blockbuster of a forehand and the next thing she was doing was rolling her hands over. Two games later and the break evened out, she had called for medical attention.

Ten minutes with the physio, with her right shoulder being attended to, Rezai looked to be in considerable pain as she winced with the magic balm being rubbed in. She returned, but the, mind was not there as she was concentrating on the shoulder that hurt with every serve and forehand.

Earlier, a partisan crowd with constant chantings of Sania, Sania in between serves was a cause for concern for the World no 66, who incidentally is the most improved player on tour climbing more than 200 places.

Another break in the 11th game of the second set after a double fault catapulted Sania to 30-40 meant holding the serve in the crucial 12th would seal the match.

She walloped the final game with three big forehands to take the match 6-4, 7-5.

Last night Sania had said it will be a battle between her forehands and Rezai's backhands. The shots were in place. But when it came to Sania's backhands and Rezai's forehands, the former prevailed and that made the difference. Sania actually got two vital breaks with the help of two back-hands to show who is the better player today, at least.

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