Sania Mirza, making a comeback from a wrist injury, went down fighting against her nemesis Ana Chakvetadze, resulting in team Asia-Pacific’s 2-0 defeat to Team Russia at the World Team Challenge tournament here on Wednesday.

All the hopes of the Asian team making a comeback in the tie rested on Mirza after Asia-Pacific captain Chinese Zheng Jie had lost the first singles to her counterpart, Russian Vera Zvonareva.

World number 18 Chakvetaze, 21, broke Mirza in the opening service game with a punishing string of forehand winners and, despite a revival from the Indian, the Russian prevailed in just over half an hour.

In the second set, Chakvetaze broke in the ninth service game to take a 5-4 lead before serving out the match for a 6-4, 6-4 win.

Earlier, Zvonareva had beaten Zheng 7-6 (3), 6-4, to give her team a 1-0 lead.