Perth, December 29:

An untimely bout of cramp for Sania Mirza cost India any chance of a win against the second-seeded United States in the opening tie of the mixed teams Hopman Cup on Saturday.

The United States won the tie 2-1, with Meghann Shaughnessy and Mardy Fish winning their respective singles matches, before Mirza and Rohan Bopanna claimed the mixed doubles rubber.

With American superstar Serena Williams missing the tie due to illness, Mirza was expected to beat substitute Shaughnessy and looked on target to do so when she was up a break and leading 3-1 in the deciding third set.

It was the American who appeared to be wilting in the Perth heat, but Mirza then suffered cramp in right leg and her game dropped right away, losing the last five games to hand Shaughnessy the win 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 and the USA a 1-0 lead. It was Shaughnessy’s third win in four meetings against Mirza.

Fish then secured the tie for the Americans with a convincing 6-3, 6-4 win over Bopanna in the men’s singles. In the mixed doubles, the Indians made it four wins from as many doubles outings here, winning 6-4, 6-4.