SANIA BREAKS FRENCH OPEN JINX

Paris: Sania Mirza recorded her maiden singles win at the French Open by beating Italian Alberta Brianti in the first round here on Wednesday.

The 20-year-old Indian, who had stumbled at the first hurdle in her earlier two attempts, thrashed Brianti 6-1, 6-1 to storm into the second round at the Roland Garros.

The Hyderabadi girl saved two breakpoints in the opening game but that was the only time she found herself in trouble in the match that last only 54 minutes.

The first Indian to win a WTA title slammed 54 winners, as against Brianti's 30, and three aces.

Sania's win was all the more creditable as she came into the tournament with a 0-2 win-loss record since returning from a 2-1/2 month-long injury lay-off. She got her first break by hitting an on-the-run forehand winner down the line to go up 3-0.

Brianti, who had a 1-0 head-to-head record against her rival before the game, held her serve then to register her name on the score sheet. But it was a while before she tasted success again.

Sania was in scorching form, belting winners on both flanks and won the next seven consecutive games.

After winning her match against Brianti, Sania said she would never abandon India despite the intense pressure of being one her country's most high profile stars.

The 20-year-old pin-up has been encouraged to base herself in the United States to train and to also escape the weight of expectancy on her shoulders after her rise in the women's game.

But she said she will never leave her Hyderabad home. "Everything I am today, I am because of India," she said. "Of course there are lots of times when you just want your privacy. It's hard when you are one in a billion," added Mirza.

"Clay is not my favourite surface but it was great to get a feel for the surface. It's my first win in singles here and I played a great match.

"I'm happy to be back on the court. There are few things more depressing than being in a wheelchair which I was after surgery.

"But I was lucky in that the injury wasn't as bad as it could have been. If it had been worse I could have been out for six to eight months. It was also a blessing in disguise as I had time to spend with my family and friends." She next faces Serbia's Ana Ivanovic who beat Sofia Arvidsson 6-2, 6-0.