Sania Mirza and Sahar Peer of Israel, reached the 2nd round in the doubles section of the USD 200,000 Thailand Open after quashing the challenge of America's Carly Gullickson and Abigali Spears in straight sets in Bangkok.
The unseeded Indo-Isareli pair breezed through the first set before overcoming a stiff resistance from the Americans in the second to carve out a 6-2 7-6 (3) win.
Sania-Peer will now meet the winner of the match between Japan's Saori Obata/Australia's Trudi Musgrave and second seeds Shinobu Asagoe of Japan/Gisela Dulko of Argentina.
Besides her exploits in singles, Sania has impressed in doubles competition as well, with her ranking shooting up to to a career-best 114 following her semifinal appearance, also with Sahar, at the Japan Open last week.
The 18-year-old Indian, whose show at the Japan Open elevated her to a career high ranking of 31, has already cleared the first round here in singles, getting the better of Henrieta Nagyova of Slovakia 6-1, 4-6, 6-0
She will play 183rd ranked Meng Yuan of China in the second round of the tournament, the last event of the season.
If she puts up a creditable performance here, she can expect to be seeded at the season opening Australian Open Grand Slam next year.
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