CINCINNATI, (Ohio): Sania Mirza's serve was a major letdown in her otherwise commendable effort as she bowed out with a 6-7 (7), 5-7 loss to top seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland in the quarter-final of the 175,000 dollar Cincinnati Open here.
The Indian, who was seeded ninth in the event, could not get her serve in order against Schnyder as she committed seven double faults in her first quarter-final appearance at a WTA event this year.
Sania gave the defending champion a good fight but did not convert the chances she got against the top seed in a match which had to be stopped twice due to rain. Schnyder later blamed the disturbances for her scrappy performance against the Indian, who was undone by her own follies.
“It was a really difficult night wind, lightning, the rain. I had to keep going and I was definitely a little bit angry that I couldn't find my game,'' she said after the match.
Sania's inability to hold her serve proved to be a major disappointment for the Indian in an otherwise fighting effort in which she matched her opponent on winners. The ninth seed could have done better, especially in the first set in which she committed four double faults. She broke Schnyder twice in the opener but could not build on the advantage.
The second set followed almost a similar pattern and Sania saw her singles hopes end against the Swiss, who was sharp enough to take advantage of the mistakes committed by the Indian.
