Unseeded Sania Mirza, already a sensation after becoming the first Indian to win a WTA tournament last month, saw her stock soar higher Tuesday at Dubai with a 6-4, 6-2 win over No. 4 seed and current US Open holder Svetlana Kuznetsova.
It initially looked like India's new darling would be routed after falling behind 0-4 in the first set and re-injuring her ankle, but Mirza went on a six-game tear to take the first set while Kuznetsova's nerve failed to hold.
"My ankle was killing me," Mirza said. "It was the third time it has happened in the last three weeks. I was actually crying because I was in so much pain. But I took a pain killer and I think it took a couple of games for me to get used to the taping, and the pain killers started working 15 or 20 minutes after that."
Mirza was urged on by a loud Dubai crowd made up largely of Indian expatriates, with the US Open champ folding under the pressure.
"I had pressure and couldn't get into the games," Kuznetsova said. "She was playing great, but I didn't do what I had to do. I didn't attack at all...I still have so much to learn."
Mirza will next face unseeded Serb Jelena Jankovic.
There was one other upset on the day, with Daniela Hantuchova taking out No. 6 seed Alicia Molik in straight sets.
No. 7 Nathalie Dechy was the lone seed to advance Tuesday, coming from a set down to defeat Russian qualifier Vera Douchevina 7-6 in the third.
Other unseeded winners into the second round were Chinese qualifiers Jie Zheng (d. Medina Garrigues) and Na Li (d. Sugiyama in three), Russians Elena Likhovtseva (d. (WC) Sfar 7-6 in the third) and Elena Bovina (d. Schiavone in three), Jelena Jankovic (d. Farina Elia 6-1 in the third), and French qualifier Marion Bartoli (d. Dulko).
Scheduled for Wednesday are Myskina vs. Bartoli, Hantuchova vs. Likhovtseva, Bovina vs. Serena, Davenport vs. Zheng, Li vs. Schnyder, and Martinez vs. Dechy.
