After Sharapova, Sania most popular!

Sensational Sania is the second most popular player in the Australian Open.

Sania Mirza might have lost to Serena Williams but there is another stage of the Australian Open where she has outscored the American superstar, even as the Grand Slam organisers soak up the fresh fragrance the Indian teen sensation has brought to the 100-year-old sporting event.

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The 18-year-old Indian won thousands of hearts at the Vodafone Arena with her gutsy performance while going down to Williams in the third round on Thursday, but the 'virtual impact' she has had on the year's first Grand Slam event has crossed the million mark.

Officially, the Australian Open website has registered 1.1 million hits so far and Sania's is the second most visited page in the women's section.

Only Russian Maria Sharapova ranks above her.

Sania has left in her wake Serena, Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova and Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands (sister of former Wimbledon Richard Krajicek) in the top five women's pages.

Among the men, Swiss phenomenon Roger Federer tops the list followed by the evergreen Andre Agassi, young guns Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt, and the mercurial Marat Safin.