French Open: Sania gets easy first round draw

PARIS: Sania Mirza, India's first female Grand Slam winner, will open her French Open campaign against Kazakhstan's Galina Voskoboev, ranked 95 in the world.

Sania, ranked 91, is expected to cross the first hurdle but the Indian can run into a really tough opponent in the second round where she could meet formidable seventh seed Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, who is pitted against Claire Feuerstein of the host nation in her opening round.

Sania enjoys a 1-0 lead over Voskoboev with the Indian defeating her Kazak rival in straight sets in San Diego in 2005 in their only outing.

The Indian ace had skipped the last French Open, in fact the entire clay court season, due to a wrist injury.

Sania has never moved beyond the second round here and it will be herculean task for her to improve her record.

Sania has had a wonderful start to the season as she annexed her first Grand Slam title, winning the mixed doubles title at Australian Open with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi.