Sania crashes out of LA pre-quarterfinals

France's Virginie Razzano beats the Indian ace 6-1, 7-6 in the pre-quarterfinal match of the East West Bank Classic.

Tired after weeks of hectic tennis, Sania Mirza was upset by France's Virginie Razzano in the nail-biting singles pre-quarterfinals at the USD 600,000 East West Bank Classic women's tennis tournament.

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Sania was ousted by the 52nd ranked French woman, who pulled off 6-1 7-6 (6) win to reach the quarterfinals of the Tier II tournament on Thursday.

The Indian star, who reached her career-best 30th rank after defeating at least five top-20 players in the recent weeks, said she was tired and could not give her best in the match.

"I have been playing great tennis for the last four weeks. I am mentally and physically tired right now," Sania said.

"Not taking anything away form her, she played very well. There is a lot of depth to women's tennis. She played a great match and I didn't. I was not playing my best and she came out firing. It was not a great match. I did not even play close to what I usually play," she added.

Sania, who clinched a three-setter doubles win alongside her American partner Bethanie Mattek a day before, said the match had drained her off.

"Yes, I think the doubles took a lot out of me since it was a very close match. I would have liked to have an off day but..."

The Indo-US duo next faces second seeded pair of Czech Kveta Peschke and Australian Rennae Stubbs.

Sania said she tried hard to put up a fight but lost on her bad day.

"I am a very short tempered person off the court. On the court I am not as bad. I was fighting so hard and I started playing better. I changed the plan. I went to a different plan. I mean it is a clean winner and she over-ruled the sidelined. She got pissed and I lost."

"I am human and that is how humans react. It is not the right thing but we are all human. I tried to fight through it. There is going to be a lot of bad days where you don't play well. That aggression that I have in me translates into the game I play."

On a questionable call during the match, Sania dismissed it as a thing out of her control.

"There is nothing I can do about it. I was angry for 20 minutes after the match. That is not the last bad call I am going to get in my life."

The 20-year-old Hyderabad girl, who has developed an immense fan following across the world since her early day in career, however, said absence of a cheering crowd made the atmosphere at the court a bit different.

"I played both of my (previous) matches on centre court. Not having the stadium around you, you feel like you are playing in a different tournament," she said.