24 March,2011 03:16 PM IST | | PTI
Somdev Devvarman and Sania Mirza scored identical and convincing straight sets victories over their respective higher-ranked opponents in the first round of the Sony Ericsson Open, here.
Ranked 73 in ATP charts, Somdev downed world number 47 Potito Starace of Italy 6-2 6-4 in his opening round of the ATP Masters event.
Qualifier Sania, ranked 99, defeated Spanish world number 62 Arantxa Parra Santonja 6-2 6-4 in WTA premier event.
Sania has a tough second round ahead as she is up against 24th seed Russian Maria Kirilenko.
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Somdev will clash with Canadian world number 34 Milos Raonic, seeded 31, in his second round and if he manages to get past him, he could have a match against world number six David Ferrer in the third round.