TOKYO, Oct 4: India’s rising star Sania Mirza got off to winning start at the Japan Open on Tuesday with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Vilmarie Castellvi of Puerto Rico. The eighth seed, making her senior debut in Japan, broke Castellvi in the first game and cruised to victory with a succession of angled winners from the back of the court.

“Great,” said the 18-year-old. “I played a good match, I got to play two good matches today. I’m hitting the ball good and I like the court. Hopefully, I can continue the way I’m playing.”

Sania started to hit the corners midway through the first set, and although she went off the boil at the beginning of the second, she steadied herself to finish the match in 59 minutes.

“As a tennis player, I’m bound to make a mistake, I’m bound to lose a game, I’m bound to hit some good shots and I’m bound to make some errors, so that’s human,” said Sania, who has generated huge media interest in her native country.

“I don’t think anyone expect anyone to play perfect tennis all the time.”

In the second round, Sania will take on Japan’s Aiko Nakamura, who eliminated last year’s runner-up American Mashona Washington 6-7 (6/8), 6-1, 6-1.

It was a long day for Sania, who also teamed up with Israel’s Shahar Peer to beat American doubles pair Jill Craybas and Carly Gullickson 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Other women’s seeds went through safely, although sixth seed Gisela Dulko of Argentina needed three sets to beat qualifier Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan 2-6, 7-5, 6-2.

Fourth seed Maria Kirilenko of Russia, fresh from her first career title at the China Open two weeks ago, denied 15-year-old Japanese Ayumi Morita on her professional debut with a 6-4, 6-4 win.

Top seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia fended off Catalina Castano of Colombia 6-2, 7-6 (7/4), while Japan’s Ai Sugiyama, the fifth seed, defeated Alina Jidkova of Russia 6-1, 7-6 (7/5).

Three men’s seeds — American Vincent Spadea, the Czech Republic’s Ivo Minar and Robin Vik — fell in the second round.

Shrugs off threat

India’s teenage star Sania Mirza shrugged off Tuesday a threat from an Islamic militant organisation about her on-court outfits.

Shortly before a WTA event in Kolkata last month, the Jamat-e-Ulema group in Hyderabad issued a statement warning her to stop wearing short skirts and sleeveless shirts saying it was an affront to Islam.

Koklata police had to provide extra security for Mirza to ensure nothing untoward happened during the US$170,000 tournament.

“Yes, there was a group who are opposed to it,” said Sania after winning her first-round singles and doubles matches at the Japan Open, her first senior tournament in the country.

“But you just have to do what you have to do. I’m there to play tennis. I don’t think I need to focus upon anything else that’s happening around me,” added the 18-year-old star.

Results

Men’s singles (first round): Wesley Moodie bt Wang Yeu-tzuoo 6-1, 6-4; Raemon Sluiter bt Lars Burgsmuller 6-3, 6-1; Takahiro Terachi bt Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 7-6 (7/1); Jiri Vanek bt Lukas Dlouhy 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5); Rainer Schuttler bt Go Soeda 6-4, 4-6, 6-2; Alexander Waske bt Justin Gimelstob 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/3)

Second round: Marcos Baghdatis bt Ivo Minar 6-4, 6-2; Bjorn Phau bt Vincent Spadea 6-4, 7-5; Kevin Kim bt Robin Vik 6-2, 6-4

Women’s singles (first round): Maria Kirilenko bt Ayumi Morita 6-4, 6-4; Shahar Peer bt Marion Bartoli 6-4, 6-4; Sania Mirza bt Vilmarie Castellvi 6-1, 6-3; Camille Pin bt Laura Granville 5-7, 6-1, 6-4; Gisela Dulko bt Hsieh Su-wei 2-6, 7-5, 6-2; Jill Craybas bt Jamea Jackson 0-6, 6-1, 6-1; Sofia Arvidsson bt Severine Bremond 6-1, 3-6, 6-0; Aiko Nakamura bt Mashona Washington 6-7 (6/8), 6-1, 6-1; Vera Zvonareva bt Catalina Castano 6-2, 7-6 (7/4); Ai Sugiyama bt Alina Jidkova 6-1, 7-6 (7/5).—Agencies