Sania in final

Sunday, February 15, 2009
Sania in फिनल:

India star Sania Mirza celebrates after winning a point during her semifinal match against Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova at the Pattaya Open on Saturday। Mirza won 6-4, 5-7, 6-1.Photo: AFPAfp, Pattaya

India's Sania Mirza fought her way through a gruelling three-set semifinal at the Pattaya Open Saturday, winning 6-4, 5-7, 6-1 for the chance to take on top seed Vera Zvonareva for the trophy.

Mirza sought to show off past glories as she took on up-and-coming talent Magdalena Rybarikova, but the Slovakian fought back hard in a match that took more than two hours and enthralled the crowd in Thailand's southern gulf.

Mirza used her big forehand to take the first set 6-4 and maintained her momentum to hold a 5-3 lead in the second set before Rybarikova upped her tempo and broke back to eventually take the set 7-5.

But the effort Rybarikova had mustered took its toll and she needed attention from her trainer for a back injury in the deciding set.

The injury appeared to hamper the Slovakian's movement and she lost the final set 6-1 to secure Mirza her first spot in a tournament final since Stamford in 2007.

Mirza will now be up against Russia's Zvonareva in Sunday's deciding match after the top seed cruised to an easy win against Israel's Shahar Peer.

The resurgent Peer had been expected to give Zvonareva a real test but instead the favourite raced to a 5-0 lead before Peer could get a game on the board and the set was quickly wrapped up 6-1.

Seventh-seed Peer found her rhythm in the second set and the match went with serve until the seventh game when Zvonareva broke Peer's resistance.

Zvonareva, whose serve was never under pressure throughout, finally wrapped up the set 6-4 and the match in just over one hour of play.