India's Sania Mirza and Bethanie Mattek of the US advanced to the quarterfinals of the $2.1 million Pacific Life Open here defeating Tatiana Poutchek of Belarus and Anastasia Rodionova of Russia in a tough three-setter.
Sania Mirza made it to the third round of the Pacific Life Open defeating Ukrainian Olga Savchuk in a tough three-setter as Sania ranked 32 in the world, lost the first set but recovered in time to record a 4-6, 6,-1 6-4 win over her 96th-ranked opponent at Indian Wells in the US.
The Hyderabad girl, who is seeded 21 in the Tier I event, received a bye in the first round.
Sania is ranked seventh in the doubles draw.
She and her partner, American Bethanie Mattek, defeated Belarus' Tatiana Poutchek and Anastasia Rodionova of Russia in the second round 6-2, 4-6, 10-7 in a tie-breaker.
Sania and Mattek, seeded seventh in the draw, defeated Tatiana Poutchek of Belarus and Russian Anastasia Rodionova 6-2, 4-6 and 10-7 to advance to the last eight.
The Indo-US pair started well and dominated the first set, but their opponents levelled the match by claiming the second.
The encounter was, thus, pushed to a super tiebreaker, which was also close but Sania and Mattek held their nerve to seal the win.
Meanwhile, Sania will face her former doubles partner Shahar Peer in the third round of the singles competition after the ninth seeded Israeli prevailed over Uzbekistan's Akgul Amanmuradova 6-1, 6-4.
Sania is seeded 21 in singles in the Tier I event.
In the USD 3,589,000 men's Masters Series event being held at the same venue, Leander Paes and Australian Paul Hanley, seeded eighth, will take on the Argentine combination of David Nalbandian and Gullermo Canas in the second round.
Sixth seeded Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles of Bahamas will start their campaign against German Christopher Kas and Rogier Wassen of the Netherlands.
Source: DDNEWS
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