Sania-Bethanie crash out in first round of Abu Dhabi Open

India's tennis ace Sania Mirza and her American partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands suffered a straight sets defeat against the pair of Kirsten Flipkens and Laura Siegemund in the first round of the Abu Dhabi Open.

Sania-Bethanie lost 3-6, 4-6 to their Belgian-German opponents in the match that lasted one hour and 13 minutes on Monday to make an early exit from the tournament.

Sania, a six-time Grand Slam winner, is set to retire from professional tennis after playing in the Dubai Tennis Championships, starting on February 19.

Sania and Rohan Bopanna had finished runners-up in the mixed doubles in the Australian Open in Melbourne after they lost to Brazilians Luisa Stefani and Rafael Matos in the final.

That match was the last time Sania featured in a Grand Slam.