Sania Mirza was beaten in the opening round of the women’s singles at Wimbledon on Tuesday 21 June 2011. The No 60-ranked Indian ace was handed a 6-7, 6-2, 3-6 defeat by Frenchwoman Virginie Razazano, who is ranked 36 rungs below her.
After losing the first set narrowly in the tie-break 4-7, Sania appeared to have the match under control as she broke Razzano early in the second set. However, the 24-year-old Hyderabadi, whose best showing at Wimbledon is a second round appearance in 2005, ’07, ’08, ’09, failed to hold serve in the seventh game of the decider despite saving two break-points and made an early exit from the grasscourt championships.
Sania is seeded fourth with her Russian partner Elena Vesnina in the women’s doubles. They meet the American-Russian duo of Melanie Oudin and Anna Chakvetadze in the first round.
Meanwhile, defending champion Serena Williams survived a wobble before beating Aravane Rezai 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.
The American seventh seed lost the first two games of the match before finding her range, sending her French opponent ranked 61st in the world scampering around Centre Court with a barrage of powerful groundstrokes.
The 29-year-old Williams, playing only her third match since returning to action following serious injury and health problems, struggled for rhythm in the second set and Rezai took full advantage.
But Williams, bidding for her third Wimbledon title in a row and fifth overall, regrouped to make an early break in the deciding set and book her place in the second round.
