Sania crashes out of Japan Open

Second seed Sania Mirza succumbs to a straight set loss to Italian Flavia Pennetta in the quarterfinals in Tokyo.

Second seed Sania Mirza crashed out of the USD 175,000 Japan Open in Tokyo after a straight set loss to Italian Flavia Pennetta in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

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The Indian ace went down 4-6, 4-6 to the eighth seeded Italian in her first tournament after recovering from a wrist injury.

Pennetta will now take on fifth seed Virgini Razzano of France in the semifinals.

Sania's doubles campaign in the WTA tier III event also came to an end after she and her American partner Christina Fusano gave a walkover to the second seeded Chinese pair of Tiantian Sun and Zi Yan in the quarterfinals.