New Delhi October 10:
A gritty Sania Mirza saved four match points in a heart-stopping women's singles final before settling for a silver medal as she lost the action-packed match 3-6 6-2 6-7 (3) to top seed Anastasia Rodionova in the tennis event of the Commonwealth Games here.
Rodionova thus became the first player to win a gold medal in the debut year of the sport in the Games. The 137th ranked Sania almost pulled it off but ended on the wrong side of the result when she double faulted in the decisive tie-break. She made a spirited comeback after surrendering the opening set, as she drew level and then stretched the match to a decisive third set, where she saved three match points in the 12th game to force a tie-breaker.
A gritty Sania Mirza saved four match points in a heart-stopping women's singles final before settling for a silver medal as she lost the action-packed match 3-6 6-2 6-7 (3) to top seed Anastasia Rodionova in the tennis event of the Commonwealth Games here.
Rodionova thus became the first player to win a gold medal in the debut year of the sport in the Games. The 137th ranked Sania almost pulled it off but ended on the wrong side of the result when she double faulted in the decisive tie-break. She made a spirited comeback after surrendering the opening set, as she drew level and then stretched the match to a decisive third set, where she saved three match points in the 12th game to force a tie-breaker.
