Sania Mirza erased a one-set deficit to record her first win of the 2012 season as she downed Japanese Ayumi Morita 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 in the opening round of the USD 220,000 Pattaya Open.
The unseeded Indian took one hour and 32 minutes to tame her rival. Sania now has a tough ask at hand as she faces world number 16 Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia in the second round.
Sania had played in Auckland and Australian Open before this tournament and had lost in the qualifiers and first round respectively. Sania, world number 111 in singles, will also play in the doubles along with her Australian partner Anastasia Rodionova.
They have been given the top billing and will open against French pair of Iryna Bremond and Caroline Garcia.
Published 08 February 2012, 17:24 IST