PTI
 
Kolkata, Sep 20: Sania Mirza on Tuesday gave a display of silken touch and raw power to move into the second round of the Sunfeast Open in just 53 minutes.

Mirza destroyed compatriot Rushmi Chakravarti 6-0, 6-4.

Mirza playing against qualifier and veteran in the circuit decimated her opponent 6-0 in the first set, breaking her in the first, third and fifth games. A barrage of forehand down the lines and cross-court volleys felled the veteran Indian against whom Sania already has a 2-1 win record.

Rushmi, ranked 457 in the world, did try to put up a semblance of resistance in the second set, but a break in the fifth game was all she needed to seal the match in her favour.

The second game saw Rushmi coming to the net more often and that helped her win a few games with drop volleys and down the line backhands, but Sania soon changed her game and a few charges to the net settled the scores in her favour.

Later she said, "I had a good match. There were a few nervous moments. But I am glad that I was able to overcome that."

"I was a little rusty but this is the first tie and maybe I play better with nerves," she said.

She also praised the city crowd and hoped to make amends for the early exit last time around.