Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Sania lacks the patience to win on clay:MYSKINA

Sania lost to Russia's Myskina in the first round of French Open.

Sania Mirza lacked the patience to win on the slower clay courts but would come good on the faster grass at Wimbledon, her French Open vanquisher Anastasia Myskina said today.Myskina, who ousted Sania 6-1 6-4 in the first round of the French Open women's singles, said it was an open secret that Sania did not like playing on clay.

"Clay is not her surface for sure. I don't think she likes playing here because it is long rallies for her and she likes to hit the ball. She doesn't have a lot of patience for here," the 24-year old Russian said after advancing to the second round at Roland Garros.

Sania said she wanted to be in the top-15 by 2006-end.

"My goal this year is to stay in the top-50. I still want to say I want to be in the top-15," the 19-year old Hyderabadi lass said.

But Myskina had her doubts.

"I don't know if she (Sania) can be top 20. But if she can win for the grass season, she is going to be really good," the world number 12, who became the first Russian woman to win a Grand Slam by triumphing here in 2004, said.

Sania, who returned to the courts last week after a three-week break, blamed lack of knowledgeable coaching back home for her injuries - right wrist and elbow, and lower back.

"These are the negatives of coming from a country where tennis is not popular and people don't know about training and preparation," she said.

"In the past I could be running for an hour and not be match fit.

"I'm growing all these muscles now that I never knew I had. I'm straining my body a lot more than I did in the last few years." Sania said she was coming to terms with the expectations of a billion people.

"It's my second year on the circuit and every day it gets tougher. Last year every time I won a match it was a surprise," she said.

"Now every time I lose a match it's a surprise. People have a lot of expectations for you, especially a billion people in India. It makes it hard.

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