Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza [Images] was handed a tough draw at the Beijing [Images] Olympics [Images]. She is drawn against Czech nemesis Iveta Benesova in the opening round.

Should she clear the first hurdle, she could run into former world No 1 Venus Williams [Images].

• Federer drawn against Tursonov

The men's doubles pair of Leander Paes [Images] and Mahesh Bhupathi [Images], however, got a relatively better deal. The 'Indian Express' will kick-off their campaign against the French pair of Gael Monfils and Gilles Simons on Sunday.

World No 60 Sania isn't in the best of form and clearing the first round in singles won't be easy. The record also shows no hope, as Sania's three previous attempts to crack the Benesova code came to zilch.

The Czech, currently ranked No 56, won all the three meeting over three sets.

The Sania-Benesova duel dates back to 2005 in Los Angeles, where the Czech won 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. History was repeated the following year at S'Hertogenbosch. This year, they met in Stockholm and though Sania seized early initiative by winning the first set, the Czech came from behind to maintain a 3-0 lead in the head-to-head count.