Sania Mirza's singles campaign in the Acura Classic ended with a 2-6, 6-3, 3-6 loss to fourth seed Russian Elena Dementieva but the Indian ace continued her good doubles form and, partnering South African Liezel Huber, entered the quarter-finals in San Diego, on Thursday.
Sania and Huber got past the Russian-American duo of Anna Chakvetadze and Jill Craybas 7-5, 6-2 to move into the last eight.
In her rain-delayed singles match, Sania was off to a disastrous start as Dementieva won the first five games of the opening set.
The Indian gave her fans something to cheer about when she staged a comeback by breaking Dementieva and holding her own serve to make the score 5-2.
However, the mini-rally proved to be a flash in the pan as the Russian held serve in the next game to win the set.
The next set saw an improved performance by the Indian as she broke Dementieva in the second game for a 2-0 lead. The Hyderabadi teen maintained her momentum and saved a break point in the 10th game courtesy an unforced error by the Russian.
Sania then hit a beautifully angled volley winner that bounced just out of the Russian's reach to save a second break point. The Indian then hit her second ace of the match to claim the second set.
In the third set, which saw five service breaks, Dementieva took a decisive 5-3 lead by breaking Sania's serve at love in the eighth game.
Dementieva, who hit a total of 10 double faults, improved her serve in the decider to advance to the quarter-finals.
The world number six has now beaten Sania in all the three matches they have played. Dementieva, who also ousted Sania from this year's Wimbledon, will meet fifth seed Swiss Patty Schnyder in the quarter-final.
Meanwhile, in the doubles, eighth seeds Sania and Liezel were tested in the opening set but in the end proved to be too good for their unseeded rivals.
The Indo-African pair, who had to face a stiff challenge in the first set, were at their aggressive best in the second set and did not put a foot wrong on their way to clinching the match.
Sania and Liezel wil now take on the winners of the match between the German-American pair of Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Meghann Shaughnessy and the US duo of Ashley Harkleroad and Vania King.
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