Sania Mirza
Sania Mirza
Sania Mirzais an Indian professional tennis player who is currently ranked No. 1 in the women's doubles rankings. From 2003 until her retirement from singles in 2013, she was ranked by the Women's Tennis Association as India's No. 1 player, both in singles and doubles. Throughout her career, Mirza has established herself as the most successful female Indian tennis player ever and one of the highest-paid and high-profile athletes in the country...
NationalityIndian
ProfessionTennis Player
Date of Birth15 November 1986
CityMumbai, India
CountryIndia
One of the thrills of playing at the top tennis centres of the world is to see the Indian flag go up whenever I'm participating in these events. That's enough motivation for any Indian who has the opportunity to perform at these tournaments.
I haven't thought of retirement yet, but when I stop enjoying the game or when injuries force me, I will quit.
I don't think I'm old enough or experienced enough to give anyone any guidance. All I would like say is that as long as you're having fun, I think you're doing the right thing.
For some reason, every time I peak in my career, I injure myself. So, I'm constantly on the comeback trail.
Everyone has attitude, and I think everyone should have attitude. But I know I have attitude, but that's just, I think if you don't have attitude, it comes only with self confidence. So if you don't have self confidence, you won't have attitude, and I think there's a difference when you have attitude and when you have arrogance.
On the tennis court, one needs a cool temperament, tremendous ball sense, reflexes, speed, hand-eye co-ordination, power, timing and peak physical fitness. Off the court, the player and support team need skills in planning, execution, travel, an ability to raise funds when needed, and several other talents.
When I go out on court, I don't care what I look like. I don't care if I'm out of my bed as long as I win the match, and that's what I'm there for. It doesn't matter what I'm wearing, it doesn't matter what I look, it doesn't matter what my hair feels like. All I feel is the moment I have to play well, give my 100% and win the match.
As you grow older, it's harder to stay fit. Every day you wake up with pain, muscle aches which you don't know you had. I have to work harder on me than I used to when I was 18 years old. It takes me longer to recover now.
That's not what I think every time I step on court, that an Indian never did this, an Indian never did that. I'm just there because I just want to be there. I'm happy, I'm starting something. I'm not thinking who did it or who's gonna do it.
That's how I play. I'm going to have maybe 50 unforced errors one day, but I'm going to also have 50 winners that day. People just have to accept me the way I play. Maybe I can add variation to my game, but I'm going to win matches only when I hit those winners.
You really have to keep moving, ... because you have no idea till the last second where the ball is going to go. Toss is all over the place on the serve. I'm just happy I came through because I guess it's just giving me more and more practice for the bigger matches I'm hopefully going to play.
There were a lot of games that I could have taken, but I had fun out there. In my first US Open I couldn't have asked for any more.
I think being a woman celebrity is the hardest thing in India... People will ask many things, what you wear, how you speak, when you will have a baby and other things.
I think I played one of my best matches. She's the number one seed, and I'm happy that I was able to play my game.