Sania, who finished runner-up at last week’s Bank of the West Classic in Stanford, will now take on Greek Eleni Daniilidou at the event which will be eliminated from next year’s WTA calendar.
In a 123-minute contest where the momentun kept swinging back and forth, both Sania and Peer pounded heavy groundstrokes from the baseline to make it an exciting match for the sizeable crowd at the Stadium court.
Sania used her strong forehand to set up winning points and kept Peer under pressure with her service returns. There were a combined 15 service breaks in the match.
After splitting the first two sets, Sania opened the final set by holding serve and breaking Peer to take a 4-1 lead. Later, leading 5-2 Sania got to match point when she slammed a high forehand volley for a winner. On the next point, the Indian landed a cross court forehand which Peer could only return into the net.
After the win, the world number 31 said it was the toughest first-round match she could get as she had to play against a good friend.
“Neither of us was happy to see that we had drawn the other because we are friends and it’s hard to play a friend. It was the toughest first round I could have had,” she said.
Second seed Jelena Jankovic marked her return from a four-week lay-off with a 6-3, 6-0 thrashing of American Vania King. Number four Nadia Petrova of Russia knocked out compatriot Elena Bovina 6-3, 7-5 and fifth seed Bartoli of France beating Aiko Nakamura of Japan 7-6, 6-1.
Seventh seed Martina Hingis battled past Dutch teenager Michaella Krajicek 7-5, 6-2.
Varman beaten
In Washington, top seed Andy Roddick fired 18 aces to rip Tomas Zib 6-4, 6-2 on a wild Tuesday at the ATP Washington Classic that saw top efforts from Asians and newcomers and struggles for Tim Henman and Marat Safin, adds AFP.
Japanese prodigy Kei Nishikori ousted Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili 7-6 (7-4), 6-3. Meanwhile, US college champion Somdev Dev Varman lost Paul to Goldstein 6-4, 6-2.
Russian third seed Marat Safin bounced Czech Jan Hernych 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 and South Korean fifth seed Lee Hyung-Taik defeated Russia’s Igor Kunitsyn 6-7 (7-9), 6-3, 6-1.
Paes-Damm win
Second seeds Leander Paes and Martin Damm resisted a spirited fightback from Varman and Isner, elbowing out the Indo-US pair 6-2, 3-6, 10-8 to enter the doubles quarterfinals.