Thursday, September 1 2005 13:03 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New York: An erratic Sania Mirza managed to pull up her socks in time and over powered Maria Elena Camerin of Italy 6-4 1-6 6-4 to move into women's singles third round at the US Open Grand Slam tennis in New York yesterday (August 31, 2005). Sania was far more fluent in her stroke making than in the first round, yet let the game meander far too long with too many unforced errors.

The 18-year-old Indian, despite losing serve in the third game, build up a 4-1 lead in the first set. But then she took the foot of the pedal and found Camerin stage a dramatic recovery from there. The 81st ranked Italian broke Sania in the 8th game, and although the Indian took the set by breaking back the 10th, she had managed to shift the momentum in her way.

The second set saw Camerin counter-punch with greater efficiency. The Italian broke Sania in the first and fifth game to take the set in 31 minutes.

When she was broken in the second game of the decider, Sania was a bundle of frayed energy. She was also suffering from cramps in both the legs.

But, three unforced errors by Camerin handed back the advantage to Sania and from there on, the Hyderabadi fought her back into the match.

A deadly backhand cross-court winner was called out, but the chair umpire overruled. It gave Sania a break point and Camerin promptly put a forehand into the net to go down 2-3. The drama was not over yet as Camerin levelled the score at 4-4. But Sania responded by unleashing a series of winners, a backhand down the line, an overhead smash and a return winner to wrest the lead back. Sania finally clinched the issue when a forehand pass set up a match point and Camerin hit a backhand wide.