Date:13/09/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/09/13/stories/2004091303841700.htm

Sport - Tennis

Sania loses in final

TASHKENT, SEPT 12. Second seed Na Li of China overpowered seventh seed Sania Mirza of India 6-2, 6-1 in the women's final of the $100,000 Asian tennis championship here on Sunday.

Na Li pocketed $7,200 and a wild card for the Australian Open, as per the understanding between the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) and Tennis Australia.

With four titles in her kitty, the 22-year-old Na Li did not allow the 17-year-old Sania to find her rhythm.

"I didn't sleep well last night thinking about the final. I knew that Sania was going to hit the ball really hard to turn on the pressure.

"So, I mentally prepared for it and it really helped,'' Na Li said after the match.

"She played very well today. I just couldn't read where she was going to hit.

"She disguised it very well. She never allowed me to do much,'' admitted Sania.

In the men's final, top-seeded Yeu Tzuoo Wang of Chinese Taipei tamed second-seeded Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) to claim the winner's purse and the wild card for the Australian Open.