Sania loses in first round of AEGON Classic

Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza crashed out in the first round of the women's singles at the AEGON Classic tennis tournament in Birmingham, losing to Tamira Paszek of Austria.

The No 58-ranked Indian was beaten 3-6, 6-4, 2-6, at the US $220,000 grasscourt tournament.

The No 80-ranked Austrian will meet Russian sixth seed Ekaterina Makarova, who got a bye in the first round.

The tournament is the first of two warm-up events on grass ahead of next month's All England Championships at Wimbledon.