Mirza downed her opponent from Uzbekistan 6-2, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals here for the third straight year.
Mirza has been working her way back into shape after missing two and a half months earlier this season due to knee surgery.
Wednesday’s victory marked the first time she has put together back-to-back victories since February. “It’s funny, when I was deciding my schedule I wanted to skip Cincinnati, but my dad said ‘Oh, but you always play well in Cincinnati’,” Sania said.
“The conditions suit me and the court suits my game. I play well. I also like the city because it feels a lot like India here because of the conditions. I’ve played well here all three years that I’ve come here, and I hope to win my next match,” she added.
Mirza now awaits the winner of the second-round match between ninth-seeded Jill Craybas of the United States and Olga Govortsova of Belarus.
“I think I’m getting used to the court more after having played a few matches in singles and doubles. I feel like I’m hitting the ball better now. I just want to keep going, keep improving,” she said.
Top-seeded Russian Anna Chakvetadze also reached the quarterfinals, defeating Romanian qualifier Anda Perianu 6-4, 6-3.
The only other seeded player in action, No 7 Akiko Morigami of Japan also had an easy second-round match.
A finalist here in 2005, Morigami dispatched German teenager Angelique Kerber 6-2, 6-2.
In other second-round action, American Lilia Osterloh topped Georgian qualifier Anna Tatishvili 7-5, 6-1, while in the first round China’s Yuan Meng defeated Australian Casey Dellacqua 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
Safin, Kiefer win
Former world number one Marat Safin battled past Swiss qualifier George Bastl 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 to reach the Los Angeles Classic quarterfinals, adds Reuters from Los Angeles.
Safin will meet seventh-seeded Lee Hyung-taik in the last eight, the Korean having gone through after his South African opponent Wesley Moodie retired with a back injury when trailing 6-2, 3-0.
Germany's Nicolas Kiefer crushed Russian Igor Kunitsyn 6-3, 6-2 to set up an all-German quarterfinal clash with Michael Berrer.
Berrer, who broke into the world's top 100 just before Wimbledon beat Brazilian qualifier Ricardo Mello 6-3, 7-5.
Youzhny in quarters
Second seed Mikhail Youzhny beat Romanian Victor Hanescu 6-4, 6-2 to cruise into the quarterfinals of the Amersfoort Open on Wednesday, adds Reuters from Amsterdam. Youzhny will play his 19-year-old compatriot Evgeny Korolev, who overcame Argentine Sergio Roitman 7-5, 7-6.
Ferrer crashes out
Meanwhile defending champion David Ferrer crashed out of Stuttgart's ATP tournament when he was beaten in the second round by fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 7-5, 6-3, adds AFP from Stuttgart.
Verdasco, 23, will now face seventh seed Juan Ignacio Chela in the third round.