Sania goes down to Chakvetadze in Hong Kong

Sania Mirza returning to the tennis courts after a four-month injury lay off yesterday lost in straight sets to Russia's Anna Chakvetadze

Poor return! Team Asia Pacific's Sania Mirza returns to Russia's Anna Chakvetadze during the JB Group Classic exhibition tournament in Hong Kong yesterday. Sania lost 4-6, 4-6. pic/ap

Sania Mirza returning to the tennis courts after a four-month injury lay off yesterday lost in straight sets to Russia's Anna Chakvetadze in theu00a0 JB Group Classic World Team Challenge.

Mirza, playing for Team Asia-Pacific, went down 4-6, 4-6 as top seeds Russia took an early lead in the four-team event.

Earlier Russia's seventh-ranked Vera Zvonareva beat top Chinese player Zheng Jie in straight sets7-6 (7-3), 6-4 win in the year-opening exhibition tournament.

Wimbledon semi-finalist Zheng, dictating the play in front of a near-capacity crowd in the 3,600-seater stadium, Zvonareva found trailed in both sets before finding her rhythm in time to overcome her opponent
In a doubles match, Team Europe's Jelena Jankovic and Michelle Larcher de Brito beat Americans bt Venus Williams and Coco Vandeweghe 6-4, 7-5.

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