Nathalie sails, Sania fails
Afp, Montreal
Italy's Alberta Brianti rallied to defeat India's Sania Mirza 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 here Monday in a first-round match at a 1.3 million-dollar WTA hardcourt tennis tournament, a US Open tune-up event.Brianti booked a second-round date with Slovenian 14th seed Katarina Srebotnik, who ousted Dutch standout Michaella Krajicek 6-3, 7-5. French veteran Nathalie Dechy also rallied to reach the second round, outlasting Israeli qualifier Tzipora Obziler 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-1. Dechy will next face Russian 15th seed Maria Kirilenko, who beat Croatian Jelena Kostanic 6-3, 4-6, 6-1. Swiss seventh seed Martina Hingis learned her second-round opponent after her bye. She will face Italy's Mara Santangelo, who rallied to eliminate Austrian Sybille Bammer 6-7 (2/7), 6-4, 6-2. Belgium's Kim Clijsters, the top-seeded defending champion, will open against the winner between Canadian wild card Stephanie Dubois or Italy's Tathiana Garbin, whose match was halted by rain. Many of the reigning US Open champion's top rivals have pulled out of the event, including French world number one Amelie Mauresmo, the Wimbledon and Australian Open champion, and Justine Henin-Hardenne, the French Open champion. Russia's Maria Sharapova, American Lindsay Davenport and US stars Venus and Serena Williams also withdrew.
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