Sania to face Russian Maria Kirilenko in season opener in Hobart

Hobart, Jan 7 (UNI) Fresh from her fine show at the Hopman Cup, Sania Mirza begins the new season in the WTA circuit and her Australian Open preparations against fourth seed Maria Kirilenko of Russia in the first round of Moorilla Hobart International tennis tournamnet starting tomorrow.

Wild card Sania, ranked 66 in the world, has been drawn in the top half of the main draw led by top seed Anna Chakvetadze of Russia in the 145,000 dollar tier IV event.

If the 20-year-old Hyderabadi wins her first match, she will have a comparatively easier next round where she will meet the winner of the tie between unseeded Russian Elena Likhovtseva and Romina Oprandi of Italy.

Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues, to whom Sania lost in the Hopman Cup singles in Perth, has been seeded second and placed in the lower half of the draw.

The Australian Open begins on January 15 in Melbourne. Sania reached the third round in 2005 but crashed out in the first round last year in the season's first Grand Slam.

UNI