Sania loses in first round of AEGON Classic

Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza [ Images ] crashed out in the first round of the women's singles at the AEGON Classic tennis tournament in Birmingham, losing to Tamira Paszek of Austria.

The No 58-ranked Indian was beaten 3-6, 6-4, 2-6, at the US $220,000 grasscourt tournament.

The No 80-ranked Austrian will meet Russian sixth seed Ekaterina Makarova, who got a bye in the first round.

The tournament is the first of two warm-up events on grass ahead of next month's All England [ Images ] Championships at Wimbledon [ Images ].