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Mirza turns the tables on Hingis

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SEOUL, South Korea -- Indian Sania Mirza sent top seed Martina Hingis crashing out of the Korea Open with a 4-6 6-0 6-4 second round victory in Seoul on Thursday.

It was quick revenge against the former world number one, who beat her in Kolkata last week.

After losing the first set, in which both players struggled to hold serve, Mirza raised her level of play and was able to push the Swiss world number eight around the court with her powerful groundstrokes.

Easing through the second without dropping a game, the world number 59 broke her opponent in the ninth game of the deciding set and held on to deny Hingis a chance of a third title this season.

Hingis beat Mirza in the semifinals on her way to a Kolkata Open victory on Sunday, which followed success in the Italian Open earlier this year.

The 25-year-old five-time grand slam winner retired in 2002 because of foot injuries, but made a full-time comeback in January.

Mirza moves on to a quarterfinal against Indonesian Angelique Widaja, who advanced with a 6-4 6-3 victory over Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain.

"It is my third time to play her this year and I guess that it is third time lucky," said a smiling Mirza.

"Every match is a different match and every week is a different week -- this proves that."

When the Indian produced some stunning strokeplay to twice come back from 0-40 to win the game in the opening three games, the crowd sensed an upset.

Mirza's below-par service let her down, however, with four double faults early on that interrupted her momentum. Hingis, who had been struggling to impose herself on the game, took advantage to win a hard-fought first set 6-4.

The second set was an entirely different affair as the Mumbai-born Mirza stormed back in style to overpower her bewildered opponent and take the set without dropping a game.

The third set was a much closer affair but the world number 59 was always in control and dominated play, producing four exquisite returns to win a Hingis service game to love.

Mirza's serve threatened to let Hingis back into the game but although the top seed survived two match points, it was third time lucky for the outsider.

Too good

"She was too good today, she played too well," a tired Hingis told a press conference.

"She played very well today, much better than last Saturday. I gave her more chances today. In the beginning I lost two 40-0 games. Sometimes that's professional tennis and little things can make matches."

Hingis said her opponent "hits the ball very hard. Some of the angles she was able to play were really amazing."

But the Swiss, who returned this season after a three-year layoff due to injury, said there was not a big gap between her and Mirza. "I beat her last week so I am not going to beat myself up about this."

Mirza attributed her success to fitness and mental strength.

"This is the fittest I've been in the last two years and it's the best I've felt this year," she said.

"A true champion is one who comes back from being down. When I went out to serve at 5-4, I hadn't held my serve for the last two games and I told myself to do whatever was necessary."

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