The 19-year-old tennis star, who is making waves on the international circuit, however, has a few things to sort out. Mirza, forced to take a five-and-a-half-week sabbatical because ankle injury, will have a bone scan at the end of this month. “If that is clear, then I will be going to Italy for some training at the Bob Brett Tennis Academy in Italy, followed by the French Open.”
Mirza is also searching for a coach who could hone her precocious talent. “The coach would be a foreigner,” she made it clear.
“I have short-listed some people but it is too early to spell out any names. A lot of things will have to be considered, so we have to wait and see,” she said.
Mirza — in Dubai to unveil the new corporate identity of Al Haseena Jewellery — was talking to the media about her plans at the Renaissance Hotel here yesterday.
Asked about her target at the French Open, she said she only wanted to go out there and give her best.
“Because I advanced to the third round in some tournaments, it does not mean that I am going to reach the third or fourth round each time I play in a grand slam.”
She, however, conceded that the clay surface at Roland Garros is not her favourite. “I prefer hard courts as I have won a couple of tournaments there. But all the same, if you have to play tennis, you have to be able to play on all surfaces,” she said.
Looking back on her experience during her participation in the DDF Open Championships in Dubai recently, Mirza said she was overwhelmed with the support she got from the fans. “To be honest I felt as if I were playing in Hyderabad in India. The number of Indians I saw, I do not think I have seen so many Indians anywhere outside India. And to have the whole stadium cheering only for you is simply amazing.“
But despite her achievement in a short span of time Mirza is aiming higher and looking for consistency in her game. “I am considered one of the hard hitters on the women’s circuit. I think what matters now is consistency in my game and how much I can hit the same way. So that means practise and practise more and hard work.”
Talking about tennis and cricket in India, she said: “Cricket is almost a religion in India and that is something you cannot change. It is my favourite sport too, so I cannot say anything about it.”
No wonder, her favourite cricketer is Sachin Tendulkar whom she has met and was so much overwhelmed that she could not recall what he said to her. “He is a very nice person, probably one of the best cricket stars I have met ... a down to earth person guy.
Mirza was presented with a ‘Tribute Leaf’ by Arif B. Rahman, director of ETA-Star, the parent company of Al Haseena. Rahman said the presentation was a tribute to women by honouring a woman of substance.
“And Sania Mirza has achieved so much in such a short time that the whole world is proud of her,” he said.
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