Sania on the lookout for a foreign coach

`I am focussed in improving my ranking' I don't want to be a model. I'm a tennis player and will remain so till the end

LOOKING AHEAD: Sania Mirza who will play in the French Open aims to take it one step at a time.

NEW DELHI: Teen tennis sensation Sania Mirza, on Saturday, said she was in the process of hiring a foreign coach and had shortlisted a few for the job.

``We have shortlisted a few names. And we will decide one from the list,'' Sania told reporters without divulging the names. The 18-year-old said the most important thing while having a coach was that she must get along well with the person.

``There is no point if the coach and player do not get along well, even if the coach is the best in the world,'' she said.

It was an emphatic ``no'' when Sania was asked whether she would prefer settling down abroad for her tennis training.

``I have no plans to settle down abroad as I will miss certain things I love to do here. May be, for three months or so I will go abroad for training. (But) I won't settle there.''

For the time being she also has no plans to concentrate on doubles. ``I always prefer playing singles and now I am focussed in improving my singles ranking. I don't think that at this point of time I will play more doubles.

``I am working towards getting into the top 25 bracket in singles in the next two years.''

On her favourite tennis player Steffi Graf, she said, ``I love her tennis because of the whole package of her tennis. It is very difficult to point out what I like in her tennis, she was very different.''

Sania said Roger Federer was her favourite male player at the moment, but the list keeps on changing from time to time.

On French Open

Talking about French Open, Sania said, ``Clay is definitely not my favourite surface because that does not suit my style of play because I hit the ball hard. But I'm not that bad in clay either and have won a couple of titles in such surface. Above all, playing in clay won't aggravate my injury.''

She said her immediate aim is to clear the first hurdle in the French Open next month.

Currently 73rd in the latest WTA ranking, Sania said: ``I'm aware of the expectations but just because I made it to the third round in the Australian Open, people should not expect me to win the French Open. I'll be an underdog there and will try to clear the first round.''Dispelling apprehensions that endorsement could prove a distraction and affect her performance, Sania said, ``A player should know the limit. When I realise endorsement is taking toll on my game, I'll stop.''

Also asserting that she did not aspire to be a model, Sani said: "I don't want to be a model. I'm a tennis player and will remain so till the end.''

On her injury

Upset at missing the Fed Cup owing to the ankle injury, Sania said, ``I was looking forward to it. Shikha (Uberoi) was here and we could have been a great team. Though they lost to China, all the players tried their best and China was here with their best team.''

``Playing this time would have been a risk. Doctors have advised me rest; otherwise the injury can become chronic. Many more Fed Cups will follow,'' she said.