Mirza Breezes Past Shaughnessy

As gentle ocean breezes blew across the Acura Classic on Tuesday afternoon, 20-year-old Sania Mirza of India scored a solid first-round victory as she defeated American Meghann Shaughnessy, 6-3, 6-1, before an enthusiastic crowd on the Grandstand. 

In the first career head-to-head meeting between the two players, Shaughnessy served well to start the match as she held her first two service games.

 At 2-2, the American hit an ace to take a 30-0 lead, but from that point almost everything went downhill.

Mirza broke serve and went on to take a 5-3 lead. With Shaughnessy serving to stay in the first set, she saved one break point, but lost the set on the second break point when a close call went against her. 

After both players exchanged service breaks early in the second set, Mirza took a 2-1 lead. The talented Indian would go on to break Shaughnessy two more times to increase her lead to 5-1.

Serving for the match, she blasted an ace to start the game. Mirza then easily served the match out to advance to the second round. 

• This was the first head-to-head meeting between the two players.
• Mirza will face Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia.
• This is Mirza’s second career Acura Classic appearance. She reached the third round last year as a qualifier.
• Mirza reached the fourth round of the 2005 US Open.
• Mirza is ranked 44 in the world.

Shaughnessy is ranked 79 in the world.
Shaughnessy was playing in her seventh career Acura Classic.
Shaughnessy reached the quarterfinals of the 2003 Australian Open.
Shaughnessy was ranked as high 11 in the world in 2001.

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