Ferocious Sania storms into Hobart International quarter-finals

Hobart, Jan 9 (UNI) Sania Mirza staged a ferocious come back from behind to brush aside Italian Romina Oprandi 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-0 to storm into the quarter-finals of the Moorilla Hobart International tennis tournament here today.

Wild card Sania matched her higher-ranked opponent point by point in the first set to go down 6-7 in the tie-breaker.

But, the 20-year-old Hyderabadi, ranked 65th now, roared back in the next two sets to wrap up the match in one hour forty minutes, hitting ferocious forehand winners and forced her world number 52nd rival commit unforced errors.

In the second set, Sania broke the Italian in the second game and went on to win the set 6-3 to take the tie to the decider.

The Indian became even more attacking in the decider and did not even lose a game to decimate her opponent 6-0.

Sania will next meet the winner of the match between her doubles partner Alicia Molik of Australia -- ranked much lower to her -- or sixth seeded and Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine in the last eight stage of the 145,000 dollar tier IV hardcourt event.

In the doubles, Sania and Molik will play either Polish/Italian pair of Marta Domachowska and and Roberta Vinci or Italian/Argentine duo of Maria Elena camerin and and Gisela Dulko.

The Indo-Australian pair had beaten Bonderenko sisters Alona and Kateryna of Ukraine 7-6 (6), 6-1 in their opening match.

UNI