Third seed Sania up against Spears in Cincinnati

NEW DELHI: Sania Mirza will open her campaign at the WTA tier III Western and Southern Financial Group Open in Cincinnati against American Abigail Spears.

Seeded third at the event, the world number 38 Sania is up against an opponent, who is lying way down at 140th in WTA rankings.

The opening round meeting between Sania and Spears on Monday would be their first on the circuit.

The Indian has been given the top billing in doubles, where she would be teaming up with American Bethanie Mattek.

The Indo-American pair will open its campaign against Colombia's Catalina Castano and Chinese Meng Yuan.

Russian star Anna Chakvetadze is the top seed and Swiss Patty Schnyder is seeded second at the USD 175,000 tournament.

Sania comes to the tournament after a week-long break following her second-round loss to Russian Nadia Petrova in the Wimbledon.