Wimbledon 2021: Sania Mirza's doubles campaign ends early

Bengaluru, July 3: India's Sania Mirza and her American partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands bowed out of the women's doubles event at the Wimbledon Championships following a straight-set defeat.

Sania, who has returned to grass court Grand Slam after three years, and Mattek-Sands lost 4-6 3-6 to the Russian pair of Elena Vesnina and Veronika Kudermetova in one hour and 28 minutes.

The Indian ace is though is still alive in the tournament as she will play in the mixed doubles second round with compatriot Rohan Bopanna, reports PTI news agency.

Bopanna-Mirza pair wins historic all-Indian Wimbledon match

In mixed doubles, the experienced pair of Bopanna and Sania had defeated the brand new combination of Ramkaumar Ramanathan and Ankita Raina 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) in the historic all-Indian mixed doubles first round match at the Wimbledon.

It was the first time in Open era that two Indian teams competed against each other at a Grand Slam tournament.

That contest had finally brought a Grand Slam debut for Ramkumar, who had made 21 attempts to qualify for the singles main draw of a tennis major.

The other Indian player -- Ankita Raina and her American partner Lauren Davis had lost in straight sets to the US pair of Asia Muhammad and Jessica Pegula.

The 14th seeds disposed off the challenge from the Raina-Davis pair 6-3, 6-2 in 70 minutes.

In the men's doubles, Bopanna and Divij Sharan are already out, having lost their opening round match.