Pattaya: Sania Mirza got the better of Anne Keothavong 6-4, 7-5 to move into the quarterfinal of the $220,000 Pattaya Open, on Thursday. The Indian ace also reached the last-eight stage in the doubles category with her Australian partner Anastasia Rodionova.
Sania, who is ranked outside top 100, beat the higher ranked British player (88) in the second round match which lasted for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Keothavong had earlier shocked second seed and world number 16 Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia in the opening round.
Sania will now face either Japanese Kimiko Date-Krumm or Chinese Taipei qualifier Su-Wei Hsieh in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, Sania-Rodionova, the top-seeded pair in the tournament, routed the French pair of Iryna Bremond and Caroline 6-0, 6-2 in the first round. They will now play Varatchaya and Varunya Wongteanchai of Thailand in the quarterfinals.
