Sania loses in Cincinnati quarters

Sania Mirza crashed out of the USD 170,000 Cincinnati Open tennis tournament in Cincinnati, Ohio losing to Japan's Akiko Morigami in the quarter-finals.

The 18-year-old Indian, ranked 70th in the world, lost in straight sets 4-6, 3-6 to Akiko, who had upset second seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia on Thursday.

The win was sweet revenge for Akiko who had lost to Sania in the first round of Wimbledon hardly a month ago.

In other matches fourth seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia reached the semi-finals with a 6-7 (1/7), 6-4, 6-1 triumph over South Korean Yoon Jeong Cho. She will now take on Morigami for a place in the final.

The other semi-final will take place between qualifier Bethanie Mattek, who stunned third seed Jelena Jankovic 6-1, 0-6, 6-2, and top seed Patty Schnyder.

Switzerland's Schnyder defeated Israeli's Shahar Peer 7-6 (7/1), 6-2.

Mirza had pulled off a thrilling 7-6, 7-5 victory over Puerto Rico's Kristina Brandi to advance to the quarter-finals.

In the doubles, Sania and Yuliana Fedak of Ukraine advanced into the semi-finals beating local duo of Angela Haynes and Bethanie Mattek 6-3, 6-2.

They will play Kveta Peschke of Czech Republic and M Emilia Salerni of Argentina in the last four.

Results:

Akiko Morigami (Japan) beat Sania Mirza (India) 6-4, 6-3

4-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) beat Yoon Jeong Cho (South Korea) 6-7(1), 6-4, 6-1

Bethanie Mattek (United States) beat 3-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia and Montenegro) 6-1, 0-6, 6-2

1-Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) beat Shahar Peer (Israel) 7-6(1), 6-2