Oz Open: Sania to face 27th ranked Rezai in Rd 1

Melbourne: India's Sania Mirza faces a tough first round opponent in 26th-seeded Frenchwoman Aravane Rezai in the Australian Open tennis beginning Monday.

Sania, ranked 56, and Rezai, ranked 27, have met twice so far and are tied 1-1, with the Frenchwoman winning at their previous meeting at Madrid last year.

Both Sania and Rezai have never progressed beyond the third round here.

Sania, however, was the mixed doubles champion with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi here last year.