Stanford (California), July 28: India's sania mirza reached the final of the 600,000-dollar WTA Bank of the west classic on saturday with three set victory over eight-seeded Sybille Bammer.

Mirza topped Austria's Bammer, her third seeded victim in a row - 6-2, 5-7, 6-3. In the final she'll get a shot at top-seeded Russian Anna Chakvetadze, who beat third-seeded Slovakian Daniel Hantuchova 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 6-2

Sania began with a bang against Bammer and took the first set in no time using her huge forehand to good effect and sending powering backhand crosscourts past the Austrian. Her serve also stood well and she won 73 per cent of service points to her opponent's 50 per cent. Sania won 57 per cent of return points to Bammer's 32 per cent.

But in the second set, Sania played defensively and paid for it.

She was broken four times, the last one in the final game, when she committed a forehand error on set point.

The Indian though was not to be denied success and in the decider, Sania remained focussed to her task. The two players traded serves till Sania broke her after 3-3 when she ripped a forehand down the line. The Indian then won the third set and wrapped up the match when she hit a forehand crosscourt winner on her fourth match point.

''It was about mental strength. It's a great way to start the hard court season. I've had good wins here and I'm hitting the ball well,'' Sania said after the hard fought match.I was getting defensive (in the second set) and hoping she (Bammer) make mistakes.

She was making mistakes when I was hitting hard, and liking pace when I slowed it down. I started to feel tired late in the second set, but then I regrouped and decided to be aggressive again.'' ''In the third set, I said I have to hang in there and I did. At this level when it's 3-3 in the third set, whoever is mentally tougher and comes up with shots at deuce and 40-30 when it matters the most will come out the winner,'' explains Sania, why mental toughness is important at this level.

With the final berth here, Sania, ranked 35th now, could equal or surpass her career-high ranking of 31st, which she achieved in October 2005, when the rankings are issued tomorrow.

UNI