Indian sensation Sania Mirza is the first to reach the quarterfinalist of the Cincinatti Women’s Open. The 3rd seed sailed to the quarters with a straight set win over Uzbekistan Varvara Lepchenko 6-2, 6-2.
Mirza thought of skipping Cincinatti but changed her mind after father advised her not to.
“When I set up my schedule this year, I wanted to skip Cincinnati, but my dad (Imran) said, ‘You always play well in Cincinnati,”‘ Mirza said. “I like the heat. It feels a lot like India when I play here.”
This is her third quarterfinal at the Cincinatti Women’s Open. Last year she lost to Swiss Patty Schnyder and in 2005 she lost to Akiko Morigami.
Another quarterfinalist is upcoming player Anna Chakvetadze. She beat Anda Perianu from Romania in 2 sets 6-4, 6-3.For a long time it looked as if Perianu was going to take home the victory but Chakvetadze pulled herself together and won 12 games in a row.
“It looked like I haven’t been ready since the beginning,” Anna Chakvetadze said. “I have to say my opponent was playing well. I had never played her, and I had never watched her play. I just tried to play every point and concentrate on every point. I think I served better in the second set. I felt more confident.”
On Wednesday China Meng Yuan recorded a 3 set Casey Dellacqua of Australia 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. Others who reached the quarters in Cincinatti are Morigami and Lillia Osterloh. Morigami defeated German Angelique Kerber 6-2, 6-2. Osterloh defeated Georgian Anna Tatishvili and reached her first Tier III quarterfinals.
“I feel really good,” Osterloh said. “I’ve been working really hard, and I think it shows when I’m on the court.”
