Sania comes back with a 'marathon' doubles win in the Morocco Open

Fes, Morocco, May 15 (UNI) Playing her first match after a prolonged knee injury, Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza and her US partner Vania King had to toil hard to overcome the challenge of Russian-Ukranian pair of Alla Kudryavtseva and Olga Savchuk 6-3, 5-7, 10-8 in their opening round dubles match of the Morocco Open here.

The duo of Sania and King had to face a stiff opposition from the unseeded Russian-Ukranian pair but eventually pocketed the match in the super tie-breaker.

Expressing satisfaction over her comeback performance, Sania said, '' I'm happy that we won our first doubles match today against Kudryavtseva and Savchuk. It's always good to win a match when you're coming back after so long, especially a close one like today.

''We started off really well but then they won the second set and actually were ahead 7-4 in the super tie-break. We expected a close one though, and I think it's a good thing we got the toughest unseeded team first,'' she said.

The 50th rank Sania who seemed content with her recovery process from a three-month injury feels that she was a bit rusty in the beginning of the match.' 'I was holding up pretty well for my first match in three months.

I was a little rusty but it's nothing to worry about.'' Meanwhile, Sania, who has been awarded the top seed tag in the singles event of the tournament will meet qualifier Emilia Salerni of Argentina in the opening round later today.

UNI