Who is Sania Mirza? If you put that question to Indians living abroad, you’ll get a frown because they’ll think you should know all about her. Ask an Indian in India, and after the eyes stop rolling, you’ll be handed just about any newspaper or magazine that’s handy. And there she is, peeking out of every publication and every TV screen as writers and anchors gush “This Lass Has Got Class” or “She’s the Belle of the Ball.” It’s called “Sania Mania,” and advertising agencies are working overtime to cash in on it. Well, to the answer then. Sania Mirza is an 18-year-old Muslim girl from Hyderabad, India, who has caught the attention of the world of tennis since Feb. 12 when she became the first Indian to win a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) title — and the $140,000 prize that went with it. She was given a wild card for the Hyderabad Open event, which she won by beating ninth seed Alyona Bondarenko of the Ukraine. That victory came after her amazing exploits in the Australian Open last month where she became the first Indian to reach the third round of a Grand Slam event. Sania lost to Serena Williams. By her superb display she jumped from a 400 ranking last year into the Top 100 this year. She is on No. 99 in the latest world rankings. Those are cold statistics and are for the record books. That still doesn’t tell us what sort of person she is and what her background is. “She is a deeply religious girl who prays five times a day and tries hard not to play during the holy month of Ramadan. She reads the Qur’an every day,” her father and coach, Imran Mirza, told Arab News in a telephone interview from Hyderabad this week. “She doesn’t want to miss out on college, so she recently enrolled herself for a bachelor’s degree in mass communications, having completed her higher secondary course (Plus 2) last year. She went to Nasr School, an English-medium school which is a typical Muslim one.” So she wants to be a journalist? “Having answered hundreds of questions from hundreds of journalists after winning the hearts and minds of a multitude of Indians, she probably knows the right questions to ask,” said the doting father. Sania had already learned the nuances of journalism when someone asked her what’s it like for a Muslim girl to wear short skirts and slug it out on court. She quickly replied: “I don’t wear miniskirts on the streets.” Imran Mirza himself was a sports journalist once. He ran his own sports magazine called “Sportscall”. “It folded a long time back,” he said, “but my heart was once into journalism.” The father thinks that the whole family has contributed in a big way to Sania’s rise to sports stardom. “My younger daughter Anam, who is 11, probably missed a lot of time with us because we were busy with Sania so much.” Here in Saudi Arabia, old-timers recall one of Sania’s great-uncles coming for Haj many times. “He was my Phuppa Al-Haj Mirza Shakoor Beg,” confirmed Imran. “He performed Haj 31 times and died at the age of 96.” Sania’s grandfather was an avid sportsman. “My father, Muhammad Zafar Mirza, played university-level cricket. He also played club cricket for Middlesex in England. But his first love was hockey. Then he went into academics,” said Imran. Sania’s mother also is a sports lover. “She never played organized sports though, but she played badminton a lot,” said Imran. How did Sania get into tennis? “It was natural for her to pick up some kind of sport. Cricket was not an option for women, and we discouraged her from getting into swimming so tennis became the best option,” said Imran. “We knew she had talent when she picked up the racket for the first time at the age of six. We knew then that she was destined for big things, but we didn’t know she’d reach the Top 100 ranking at 18. Now she wants to be in the Top 50 by the end of 2006 and the Top 25 by 2007.” Imran says finding corporate sponsors initially was tough. “GVK Industries did a lot to promote her. Now we are deluged with offers from sponsors.” Anirban Das, senior vice president of Globosport, which handles Sania’s commercial work, told Outlook news magazine that he spent the last few months “persuading people, trying to convince them there was something special about this girl.” Now they have seen the light, and he is flooded with offers since Sania’s appeal extends beyond the demographic of tennis-watchers in that she is an icon for all young people — particularly women. As she was walking back after losing to World No. 7 Serena Williams in that celebrated Australian Open encounter at Melbourne’s Vodafone Arena, Brad Gilbert, coach of the likes of Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick, told her: “You have a bright future. I would like to see you in the Top 50 in the next 12 months.” That’s what she’s working on now. Sania Mirza possesses a simple, wholesome charm that comes from sheer earnestness. There is a down-to-earth quality to her which goes beyond the transitory appeal of models. And, unlike actresses, Sania is real. Sania’s rise to the top also has given a shot in the arm to the morale of the country’s Muslim minority. In his much-acclaimed article, Praful Bidwai hit the nail on the head when he said: “Sania has come to embody a number of aspects of modernity, freedom and rationality — the very opposite of the stereotypes that Indian Muslims are straitjacketed into. Many conservatives, especially Bharatiya Janata Party sympathizers, believe Indian Muslims are irredeemably backward, illiterate, overly religious, bigoted... In their view, Muslims are somewhat inferior, under-socialized human beings who deserve pity or sympathy, not equal treatment or respect. The Hindu nationalist, as well as the middle class pseudo-liberal, is deeply uncomfortable with the modern, liberal, educated, well-informed Indian Muslim who has an open mind and cosmopolitan outlook. The discomfort is all the greater if the person is a woman. Sania Mirza represents all of those modern attributes. And yet, she has become an irresistible, irrepressible icon by dint of her talent and her transparent charm. This is a major transformation of the Indian Muslim stereotype.” So who is Sania Mirza? If you’re one of the Top 100 in the world of tennis, the answer might be “Trouble.” |
Monday, February 28, 2005
The Sania Mania
Dubai Open: Sania to face Kuznetsova
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| Sania in Dubai on Monday |
Calcutta: After Melbourne and Hyderabad, it’s Dubai’s turn to witness the Sania Mirza storm. The Indian sensation, using another wild card to good use, eked out one more memorable win to kick-start her campaign in the $585,000 Dubai Open.
“The crowd was very supportive… it was just like playing in Hyderabad,” Sania told The Telegraph an hour after her 6-7, 6-4, 6-1 win over Croatia’s world No. 36 Jelena Kostanic.
For a girl who has made it a habit of humbling higher-ranked opponents, this was by far the teenager’s biggest win. Sania’s previous ‘best’ was Chinese world No. 61 Jie Zheng, at the Hyderabad Open earlier this month.
“The first set was a bit up and down, I led 4-1, then she came back… I had my chances but couldn’t take them,” Sania said. “The second set was close. Once I took that, I played solid tennis in the third.”
The ankle injury hasn’t subsided totally, but unlike in Hyderabad, she didn’t have to take painkillers or wear a thigh strapping. “I didn’t feel any discomfort,” Sania said. “The crowd was rooting for me so much, it would have lifted my game anyway.”
Among those in the stands was former Davis Cupper Zeeshan Ali, now settled in Dubai. There were some other family friends of the Mirzas as well.
Up next for Sania is an even bigger name, US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova. “Everyone knows she’s a very good player… it will be a tough match. I’ll just go out and play as I have been playing over the past few weeks,” Sania signed off on her customary confident note.
Sania survives a scare, enters the second round of Dubai Open
The teenager from Hyderabad squandered a 4-1 lead in the first set to lose in the tie-breaker, but came back strongly in the next two sets to win the battle in a little under two hours.
Sania, who received a wild card for the Dubai tournament, faces 2004 US Open champion Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova in the next round.
''I'm not thinking about the next round,'' Sania said.
''Kuznetsova is number six in the world, so I'll just give it my best shot,'' the 18-year-old said.
Sania was off to a flying start in the first set, breaking the world number 35 Kostanic in the first and fifth games for a 4-1 lead.
The Indian teenager, who was backed by a partisan crowd, played some brilliantly in flashes. The world number 98 just had to hold serve after that but began the sixth game hitting an easy winner wide off the court. From there on her game took a nose-dive and Kostanic didn't look back, breaking the Indian twice to win four games in a row.
The scores were tied at 5-5 when Sania again played some powerful forehand winners down the line to break her opponent and go up 6-5.
But unforced errors cost her dearly as she went for sum ambitious shots, while her opponent just waited for her to make mistakes.
The Croatian pushed the set to the tie-breaker which she won 7-2 and also broke Sania.
Just when it looked curtains for the Indian in here, she raised her game and made breaks in the second, sixth and eighth games to stretch the match to the third set.
There was no looking back for the crowd favourite now as she pounded winners with ease to run away with the set in 27 minutes.
''This feels like my second home,'' she said, referring to the crowd support she received.
''I didn't expect such a big crowd. They inspired me to victory.
I could have won it in straight sets. After the second set I sat and thought that I need to go up early in the deciding set and that's exactly what happened,'' she added.
Sania was all praise for her opponent saying, ''She played a solid tie-breaker and it was tough for her as the crowd was rooting for me.''
Dubai Open: Sania sets modest target
She might have conquered a billion Indian hearts winning her maiden WTA title in Hyderabad, but Sania Mirza has her head firmly on the shoulder.As she gears up to compete in her first Tier 2 event on the WTA Tour in Dubai next week, Sania has set a modest target for herself: to win the first round of the $5,85,000 event.
"My aim is to win the first round. I am not looking much beyond at the moment," said the 18-year old.
"It is a very big tournament for me. The top 30 players will be competing in the event, including number one Lindsay Davenport, Venus Williams and others.
"So it is going to be tough for me, and my aim will be to win the first round," said the 98th ranked Sania, who entered the main draw with a wild card.
High profile event
The Hyderabad girl became the first Indian to win a WTA title early this month in her hometown, which came soon after she reached the third round of the Australian Open grand slam.
Whereas the Hyderabad Open was a Tier 4 event with $1,40,000 in prize money, the Dubai event is much more high profile with the cut off applied at 35.
The women's event follows the ATP Tour men's event with equal prize money.
Sania said neither the weight of expectations nor the ankle injury that she had endured during her winning run in Hyderabad had hampered her preparations.
The left ankle that she injured two weeks before the Australian Open in mid-January still bothers her, although the right one that she twisted during play in Hyderabad has completely heeled.
On song, Sania bundles out US Open champion
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‘‘This is probably among the best matches I have ever played. I was nervous playing against Serena (Williams) during the Australian Open. But today I was mentally prepared to play against a top player,” she said. ‘‘I was not overawed, but I did come mentally prepared to do my best.’’ In New Delhi, her mentor Mahesh Bhupathi was audibly upbeat. ‘‘I hope the world who talked of Sania’s Hyderabad Open victory as a fluke will now shut up. I’ve always said that she’s champion material.’’ Bhupathi, in town for the Davis Cup, said: ‘‘She’s proved that the Hyderabad Open was not just a one-off, that she won because of a weak field. And all those said it was ‘rigged’ to Sania’s advantage can take notice of her feat today.’’ ‘‘She’s the one who is going to keep doing well and also keep the Indian flag flying high.’’
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Saturday, February 26, 2005
Sania admits to having a crush on Akshay Kumar
Shivani, with her six-month-old son perched on her shoulder, said, "Kitni sunder hai. Koi film star hogi. Aur dekho kitni pyar se bachchon ko dawa de rahin hain."
However, when this was conveyed to tennis sensation Sania Mirza, looking a bit overdressed for a warm afternoon in a magenta and black embroidered salwar kameez and bangles, she laughed.
"I am not surprised. Villagers relate success to films. So long as it all goes to a charitable cause, I do not mind. I am helping Rotary International in its polio eradication drive," she said, murmuring sweet nothings to a child in the queue.
Razaq, a Sania fan in the crowd, seemed starstruck when the sportstar accidentally brushed against him.
"I love her game. And one day I'll play like her."
However, the little boy's aunt seemed more impressed that Sania, being a Muslim girl, has made a name in the "bahri duniya".
Deepak Kapur, chairman, Indian National PolioPlus Committee of Rotary International, said, "Sania's iconic status will help us in the final push against polio. Her star power and the fact that she is a Muslim should generate trust among people. Muslim children are the most affected by polio."
Sania, sounding mature for her 18 years, said she understands the advantage of her religious belief. "I hope that when I reach out to Muslim mothers, they will trust me and come forward to immunise their children."
But why the young Sania? "We want to generate trust among minority families that polio drops are safe for their children. And she fits the bill," said Kapur.
Realising her capacity to inspire people, Sania said, "If I can help even one child from contracting polio, I'll be satisfied."
And is being a star tennis champ a hard life?
"Definitely", admitted Sania. "You make a lot of sacrifices and have to travel a lot. It is very hectic. But if I wouldn't have made the sacrifices, the media wouldn't have been interviewing me today. I wouldn't be talking to these kids either," came the smart reply.
Scribbling endless autographs in school notebooks and patiently smiling for the cameras, Sania seemed harassed at times but kept her calm.
"I think the media attention is just a bonus in my life. I have a small circle of friends and often go out with them for coffee and shopping, just like any other teenager."
Kapur could not help but sing her praise.
"We do not have mega funds and thus do not have a contract with Sania. It's her large heartedness that she is working with us. In July, when she will have some time, we'll ask her to tour polio-affected villages in western UP."
And does celebrity endorsements help the eradication drive?
"It does. Amitabh Bachchan's television advertisement helped us to a large extent in UP. And I hope Sania too will make a huge impact, specially on Muslim women in the region," said Kapur.
"Last year saw the smallest number of polio cases. Hence, this year we have a one-time opportunity to weed out the virus from our world. Our aim is to reach that goal by the yearend. And thanks to Sania and our other star campaigners, I am sure we will be able to do so," he added.
Amid all the serious "bytes", the teenager Sania peeped through at times.
"I have had a crush on Akshay Kumar since I was a child." But hurriedly added, "though I'll never say yes to a film with him or any other actor."
She also vehemently ruled out a crush on any tennis star but accepted her soft spot for Brad Pitt.
Sania, who loves to dress in red and black and prefers track pants and T-shirt, has captured the hearts of many like Razaq with her junior Wimbledon title and her on-court fight against the mighty Serena Williams. As Kapur said, "We hope she wins the Wimbledon and brings glory to the country and our cause."
Friday, February 25, 2005
Sania makes a wild card entry to Dubai Open
HYDERABAD: Tennis star Sania Mirza has got a wild card to play in the Dubai Open tournament, featuring the world's top players, beginning on February 28."It's confirmed that Sania was given a wild card and was officially communicated to us," Sania's father Imran Mirza said.
Imran said it will be a tough outing for World No. 99 Sania against the top players who will be playing in the competition with a cut off ranking of 36.
"The tournament will give her a nice exposure with almost all the top 30 in WTA rankings taking part including the Williams sisters, World No. 1 Lindsay Devenport and the Russian duo of Anastasia Myskina and Svetlena Kuznetsova.
Sania, who created history by becoming the first Indian to win a WTA tour event after advancing to the third round in the Austrailan Open, will leave for Dubai tomorrow, Imran said.
Sania Mirza clinches three brand endorsement deals:
New Delhi, Feb 18 : Tennis sensation Sania Mirza has finally managed to zero-in on three brand endorsement deals, the company managing the tennis star said today.
Post Australian Open tournament, advertisers had gone berserk and at one point Globo Media Solutions, which is managing Sania was negotiating with 18 such offers worth over Rs seven crore.
Confirming the development to PTI, Anirban Das Blah, Vice President (Sales & Marketing), Globosport said, "We have closed three deals for Sania and the first announcement will be made in Delhi in the first week of March."
The company has not shared the details of these endorsement deals but Sania is likely to endorse sports apparel as one of the brands. "She won't be signing any more deals in this year," Blah said.
The current endorsements for Mirza include GVK Industries, Sahara, Atlas Cycles, Tata Tea and Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh, some of which will end in middle of this year.
"We will certainly continue with her earlier commitments as they supported Sania right through before she made it big," said Blah.
"With addition of the three deals, Sania's valuation has come next only to Tendulkar, Ganguly and Dravid," Blah added.
Seeking Mirza's services for endorsements were companies from categories like cola, mobile handsets and services to apparel, footwear and personal care.
Friday, February 18, 2005
Sania vows to be in top 50 this year
New Delhi,Tennis star Sania Mirza Friday said she wanted to rise in the international hierarchy, to be in the top 50 this year. Dutt, who congratulated the Hyderabad Open champion for being the first Indian woman to win a WTA championship, presented her "Letters From a Father to His Daughter" and "Two Alone, Two Together", a compilation of letters between Nehru and Indira Gandhi. |
Sania said her current priority was to nurse her injured ankle and she was looking forward to playing in more Grand Slam tournaments.
"My ankle is better now as I haven't been practising recently," said the Hyderabad sensation.
Sania had won the Hyderabad Open playing with an injured ankle and an injured thigh for much of the event, relying on painkillers.
http://www.keralanext.com/news/?id=120787
Sania to raise tsunami relief funds
Kolkata, Star sportspersons Sourav Ganguly, Sania Mirza and Bhaichung Bhutia will participate in an auction-cum-cultural function in West Bengal Saturday to raise funds for victims of the Dec 26 tsunami. The programme has been organised in the border city of Siliguri, about 650 km north of here. |
According to state Urban Development Minister Asok Bhattacharya, the chief organiser of the event, the aim is to raise Rs.3 million ($68,000) for the victims of the tragedy.
Most of the money is expected to come from auctioning of cricket gears, sports apparels and mementos autographed by leading sportspersons.
Donation boxes will be placed inside the Kanchenjunga Stadium, the venue of the function.
http://www.keralanext.com/news/indexread.asp?id=118648
Sania is 99th in world rankings
New Delhi, India Feb 14 (IANS) Sania Mirza's victory in the WTA Hyderabad Open has propelled her to the 99th spot in world rankings, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) announced Monday. This represents a jump of 35 places. |
Monday was a good day for the 18-year-old as the K.K. Birla Foundation announced an award of Rs. 200,000 for the Hyderabad girl.
http://www.keralanext.com/news/indexread.asp?id=115650
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Sachin is my favourite, says Sania
"My ankle is feeling better now. But I have not been practising after the Hyderabad Open. I hope I recover before the Dubai Open (starting on February 28)."
The 18-year-old, who met Sports minister Sunil Dutt at his office this morning, also made light of her playing with painkillers during the Hyderabad Open, saying injuries were part and parcel of a sportsperson's life. "Though playing with painkillers is not a very good thing, we have to get used to it as injuries are part and parcel of any sportsperson's life. Give me any top five player who plays without injury."
Sania said she was looking forward to playing in yet another grand slam but was quick to point out that there were many events in between where she would have to make a mark.
Asked whether the emergence of players like her and Narain Karthikeyan could divert attention from cricket in the country, Sania replied in the negative and said even she followed the game very keenly.
"Cricket is like a religion in India. It is not going to change. In fact, I am myself a great cricket fan and don’t leave an opportunity to watch a cricket match. Sachin is my favourite."
The Hyderabadi lass was also comfortable with the growing expectations on her following the victory in Hyderabad Open.
"Every time expectations are there. With success they only rise. But the real winner is one who manages to live up to these expectations."
The Sports Minister gifted Sania two books based on letters written by former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and his daughter Indira to each other from 1922 to 1964.
He also hoped that Sania, who was accompanied by her parents and younger sister Anam, would bring more laurels for her family and the country in future.
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Sania Mirza becomes first Indian to win a WTA title, India applauds
Sania Mirza becomes first Indian to win a WTA title, India applauds
 Noah Seelam - (AFP) |
HYDERABAD, India (AFP) - Sania Mirza became the first Indian to win a WTA title when she defeated Alyona Bondarenko of Ukraine 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 in the final of the Hyderabad Open.
Mirza kept her cool in front of a boisterous home crowd to beat her ninth seeded opponent, who was also gunning for her maiden WTA crown.
The 18-year-old continued her fine run after having made the third round of the recent Australian Open, the only time an Indian woman has gotten past two rounds of a Grand Slam event.
Nerves seemed to get the better of Mirza at the start of the match as she double-faulted three times to allow Bondarenko to go 2-0 up, but the Ukrainian could not hold on in the face of some probing returns of serve.
A volley of powerful groundstrokes helped Mirza clinch the first set but she lost the second, which was replete with service breaks.
Mirza then ran up a 5-1 lead in the third set and the end of the match saw some high drama with Mirza celebrating victory after serving what she thought was an ace at 40-30 in the seventh game.
Mirza lost her concentration and conceded the game to Bondarenko, who followed it up by holding serve. Mirza had to wait for the ninth game to wrap up the match.
"This win has made me believe more in myself and I can now hope to do better in the coming days," Mirza said. "I wanted to win this tournament very badly since it was in my hometown."
Bondarenko, who got a walk-over in the semifinals from injured second seed Anna-Lenna Groenefeld of Germany, conceded that she was not at her best.
"I was really nervous in the final and did not play very well but I enjoyed the tournament and will surely be back here next year," she said.
India, meanwhile, rose in applause to applaud Mirza as firecrackers resounded across cities and towns.
"I am happy that an Indian player has won this title for the first time. I wish her success in future to bring more laurels to herself and to the country. I see a bright future for her", said Indian President Abdul Kalam in a message.
Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Congress party President Sonia Gandhi also congratulated Mirza.
"The country has great expectations from the Mirza. We congratulate her on the win," said Shekhawat.
Gandhi, the convener of India's coalition government said: "We wish the young tennis star success in her career".
Is Sania Mirza risking her ankle?
HYDERABAD: Strapping and bandages are as much a part of the fabric of women's tennis as tank-tops, nose rings and racquets. Pain is shut out and niggling injuries ignored by many top ranked players in their quest to garner points and improve rankings on the WTA Tour. Brushing aside an injury and playing can be counterproductive for a player's career though and many have learnt the hard way. The best case in point is the Swiss-Miss, Martina Hingis. How much risk can a player take? Sania Mirza reached her first WTA final at the Hyderabad Open, but with both her ankles hurt and a thigh that is suspect. The 18-year-old has had an unbelievable run up to the summit clash. But all that is coming at the cost of playing with painkillers. Is it worthwhile? Former Davis Cupper SP Mishra puts things in perspective. "It is very difficult to stop when you are on a roll. Sania has had a fantastic run in the tournament. With the crowd behind her she has defied all odds to make it to the final. |
http://www.keralanext.com/news/index.asp?id=114303
All round praise for 'Our Sania'
Keralanext, India -
[India News]: Sania Mirza is the toast of the town after living up to her fans' expectations in the final of the WTA Hyderabad Open. ...
Friday, February 11, 2005
Sania's dream run continues..
Keralanext, India -
"The injury woes are increasing. I played with pain," said Sania. She, however, was confident that this would not deter her from ...
Sports, Sania makes it to maiden WTA final
Keralanext, India -
Pepped up after an impressive performance at the Australian Open, Sania sizzled here right from Day One. Today she was bristling with brute power. ...
Sania rallies into semis
"It always helps to have so many people cheering for you. Whenever I was in trouble I would look at my father or my friends. So I think this was a team effort," said Mirza, exhausted after the match.
After losing the first set, Mirza held on tenaciously and found an answer to her lanky opponent's speed and steel. She broke Tzipora in the sixth game of the second set and held serve thereafter to take the set 6-3.
Also read: The making of Sania Mirza
The third-set was closely fought as both players kept threatening to break each other's serve. Tzipora, who survived a break-point in her first game, won three games on the trot.
The 18-year-old Indian, fresh from a good showing at the Australian Open where she lost in the third round, struggled to get her first serve in, but her groundstrokes proved too powerful for the Israeli. One particular rally saw her in total command as Tzipora ended up being too predictable. Playing mostly on the backhand from the baseline, the 21-year-old didn't have the variety to finish off the point.
"Even when I was 3-0 down in the third set I wasn't too bothered. I have come back from such situations before and was confident I could do it again. Obziler was running down a lot, making me hit one extra ball," she said.
Mirza got the set to 3-3 and then went on to dominate two more games. At 5-3, Obziler survived two match-points before the Indian teenager looked set to win the game serving at 5-4.
But the Israeli wasn't done yet; her two years in the army were eking out new gasps of energy. She won the game and held her serve in the next to put the pressure back on the Indian.
"I think at match-point I put too much pressure on myself," said Mirza.
Once into the tie-breaker, both players again struggled to win points on serve. Till 5-5, all the winning points came against serve. Then Mirza hit another killer forehand down the line to earn another match point. This time she finished the job quickly, setting up the winner after putting Tzipora out of the point with a superb return off a weak second serve.
Mirza will next play Maria Kirilenko of Russia in the semi-finals.
Kirilenko, a finalist at the tournament in 2004, had pulled off the biggest upset of the event earlier in the day by defeating the first seed Na Li of China 6-4, 6-3.
The other semi-final will be contested between Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany and Alyona Bondarenko of Ukraine.
Groenefeld beat Tian Tian Sun of China 7-6(7/5), 6-3 while Bondarenko beat Marie-eve Pelletier of Cananda 7-6(7/5), 6-4.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Sania storms into semi-final after thrilling win
Hyderabad, Feb 10 (IANS) Continuing her dream run, Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza Thursday stormed into the semi-final of the $140,000 WTA Hyderabad Open after beating Israel's Tzipora Obziler in a tough contest. It was a thrilling quarterfinal with both players refusing to give up till the last minute. In the clash of nerves, the 18-year-old Hyderabad girl finally emerged victorious in the tiebreak. |
Braving an ankle injury, she displayed an aggressive game in the second set to ensure the equaliser.
In the decider, it was Obziler who initially had the upper hand. Down 0-3, Sania came back strongly and won five consecutive games before being challenged again by the world number 115.
Sania, playing despite not being fully fit, will take on Maria Kirilenko of Russia in the semi-final.
http://www.keralanext.com/news/indexread.asp?id=111622
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Sania storms into Hyderabad Open quarterfinal
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The 131st ranked Sania will now clash with Israel's Tzipora Obziler in the quarterfinal. Obziler, the world number 115, defeated Evie Dominikovic of Australia 6-3, 6-2 to reach the last eight stage.
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In her second consecutive victory in as many days, the 18-year-old Sania ousted her strong opponent 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 in a sensational encounter at the centre court of Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh complex.
Sania, who created history by reaching the third round at Australian Open, began in style and won the first set quite easily.
Playing before a partisan crowd, Sania improved her game by few notches in the final round to continue her dream run at the tournament. http://www.keralanext.com/news/?id=110414
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Sania enters second round in singles
Tennis sensation Sania Mirza Tuesday kept India's hopes alive in the third WTA Hyderabad Open here after Shikha Uberoi crashed out in the first round.
Playing before a home crowd, Hyderabad lass Sania thrashed Delia Sescioreanu of Romania 6-2, 7-5 to advance to the second round.
Sania, who created history by reaching the third round of the Australian Open, destroyed Delia, ranked 149, in the first set. She met stiff resistance in the second set but finally prevailed.
Ranked 131, Sania will clash with fourth seed Jie Zheng of China in the second round.
The 18-year-old's win lifted the spirits of fans after Shikha Uberoi became the second Indian to crash out in the first round.
Melinda Czink of Hungary won the keenly fought match 6-7, 6-3, 6-2. After putting up a tough fight in the first set, Shikha surrendered to Czink, ranked 128.
The 21-year old, who put up an impressive show at the Volvo Women's Open in Thailand recently by giving a scare to third-seed Conchita Martinez in the first round, had no answer to her opponent's powerful shots.
On the first day of the $140,000 tournament Monday, Ankita Bhambri, a wild card entrant, lost to Ukraine's Alyona Bondarenko.
Earlier, in the tournament's biggest upset, former world number four Jelena Dokic of Serbia crashed out. Cashing in on the injury of her rival, Italy's Mara Santangelo won the match 7-6 (7-2) 6-3.
Bad luck continued for the 21-year-old Serb, the winner of five WTA titles, as a thigh injury curtailed her movements on the court and finally led to her defeat. Though she tried to come back in the game after Santangelo took a 3-0 lead in the first set, it was not enough to stop the Italian.
Dokic, currently ranked 126, had pulled out of the recent Volvo Open in the second round due to her injury.
Last year's winner Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand advanced to the second round, defeating Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.
In other matches, top seed Na Li of China and last year's finalist Maria Kirilenko of Russia advanced to the second round.
Na, the world number 56, defeated Marie-Gayanay Mikalian of Switzerland 6-3, 6-3 while Kirilenko beat Bahia Mouthassine of Morocco 6-3, 6-1.
Jarmila Gajdovosva (Slovakia) defeated Ting Li (China) 6-3, 6-2 and
Evie Dominikovic (Australia) defeated Shiho Hismatsu (Japan) 6-0, 6-3.
Indo-Asian News Service
Sania advances to second round in Hyderabad Open
Sania, Shikha quells challenge in doubles at WTA Open. | ||
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Sania Mirza, who won the doubles title in the previous edition in the company of Liezel Huber of South Africa, partnered with Shikha Uberoi and beat the Taiwan-China pair in just under 90 minutes. The Indian pair service broken in the third game, recovered to break back the service of their opponents in the fourth and tenth game to win the first set at 6-4. Sania and Shikha duo raced to a comfortable 3-0 lead in the second set, breaking the rivals' serve in the second game. |
Pressure? Sania takes it in her stride
 HYDERABAD, FEBRUARY 8 The pressure was definitely on Sania Mirza, as she later admitted. The impact of her run at the Australian Open meant the crowds turned up to see nothing but a win. She delivered, and in style.On the other hand, Shikha Uberoi, with comparatively little to lose, lost the match by allowing Melinda Czink to exploit her mistakes to the hilt and win 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2. She exited the court and the tournament shaking her head after an error-ridden game and a loss of momentum just when it was needed. That was the difference between the two. Sania went all out from the start, playing her shots and not allowing her opponent Delia Sescioreanu (Romania) to settle. She won 6-2, 7-5. The only resistance was in the second set, before Delia found the going tough and cracked. Critics could argue that Shikha, ranked 148, played a player ranked 20 places higher, and Sania had an easier round but the bottomline was that Sania simply played better. Sania had the power to hit winners when it mattered, while Shikha relied more on her opponent’s errors. Shikha served badly, while Sania used her first serve to good effect and made variations in speed and angles to create the opportunity for the kill. Sania pushed every single opportunity, especially in the first set, demolishing her opponent with neat powerful returns to either side. In the second set Sania took Delia to the limits in the 7th game, which had nine deuces, including four break points in her favour. And only an over-ambitious hit over the baseline delayed her victory. ‘‘I really pushed hard in that game’’, she later said. Shikha, by contrast, had three double faults in the 5th game of the second set. Thereafter it was mistimed shots that did her in. And her medical timeout was another indication that this was not her day. | ||
Monday, February 07, 2005
You're my Sania
She loves listening to Eminem but comes from a traditional, conservative Muslim family. She wears the shortest of skirts on the court but wouldn’t be seen dead in a mini skirt in public. Welcome to the paradox that’s Sania Mirza.
Over the last few days, Sania’s exploits in the Australian Open have dominated conversations, ranging from the considerate to the critical.
'The first round win was just a fluke, no big deal' carped a few cynics. By Wednesday the opinion had changed to 'Hey, she's not bad.' But by Friday, she had won the hearts of a billion people, putting up a good show against former world No.1-cum-fashion desginer Serena Williams.
Sania has officially entered the fickle world of Indian fans. With her pierced nose and kajal-lined eyes, Sania looks like any other normal 18-year-old, with erratic mood swings and strange choices. But she’s more level-headed than most 18-year-olds are. In fact than most of us are.
Attention is nothing new for Sania, having courted it since the early age of six. She was always the ‘next big thing’, the one to watch out for. It wasn't until the summer of 2003 when the 16-year-old won the Wimbledon junior doubles title that the attention transformed into adulation. There were celebrations for three months.
Everybody wanted a piece of her, everybody wanted to know her. She was crowned the new teen queen. A normal person in a normal world would have probably changed under the harsh glare of public scrutiny. Maybe become more choosy or selective in what she says. But not Sania. Why? Because she’s not like the rest of us.
She has two extremely supportive parents in Imran and Nasima. They are also the most down-to-earth people that you would ever meet. And their daughter, Sania is just an extension of who they are.
She, to-date, remains the same in-your-face, frank Sania that she was two years ago. Still cracks jokes, laughs unabashedly and still loves biryani (and not pasta). She still chats non-stops and lives the same life. She still prays five times a day.
Not that she has gone ahead and written history, there’ll be more celebrations, more endorsements, more attention. But Sania will not change. She’ll just keep on doing what she knows, play tennis.
It’s only the world around her that will see her differently. As a bright, new shining superstar.
India, Sania comes home to exhilarating welcome
Keralanext, India -
But Sania Mirza will probably always remember the hug she got from her parents as she arrived here to a frenzied welcome from fans and the media. ...
Sports, 'If I can do it, so can you', Sania tells youngsters
Keralanext, India -
[Sports News]: Melbourne: Sania Mirza hopes that her performance at the Australian Open will inspire other women in India to greater heights in the game. ...
Sports, Sania Mirza delighted with Aus Open campaign
Keralanext, India -
[Sports News]: Melbourne: Sania Mirza reckons her parents prayers' helped propel her into the third round of the Australian Open -- but in the end they weren't ...
The sania sensation
Sania Mirza along with Russia's Alisa Kleybanova, after their victory in the girls' doubles event in Wimbledon. Sania became the first Indian woman to win a Grand Slam event at Wimbledon.
Navratilova all praise for Sania Mirza (Yahoo! India News)
6 Feb 2005 at 5:39amHyderabad, Feb 6 (IANS) Tennis legend Martina Navratilova Sunday lauded Indian tennis star Sania Mirza saying she has "good talent" and should get into the top 50 players.
Two of a kind: Sania Mirza and Narain (Express India)
3 Feb 2005 at 10:43pmSania Mirza and Narain Karthikeyan are solid back page achievers not fluffy, superficial wannabes. Their success has emerged out of toil, ambition, frustration and toughness.
Two of a kind: Sania Mirza and Narain (Indian Express)
3 Feb 2005 at 10:26pmSania Mirza and Narain Karthikeyan are solid back page achievers not fluffy, superficial wannabes and what joy there is in that. Their success has emerged out of toil, ambition, frustration and a toug...
'Sania has the right material to reach the top' (Rediff.com)
7 Feb 2005 at 2:03amThe making of Sania Mirza.
FORUM- Deccan Herald (Deccan Herald)
6 Feb 2005 at 1:39pmNEWS ICONS? Narain Karthikeyan, who will drive Formula 1 world championship, and Sania Mirza, who fought her way to the third round of Australian Open, have emerged as the latest sports icons. Will th...
Sania Mirza
Sania Mirza IND Rank 132 HTH List Year-end Rank * November 15 1986 Tiebreaks 11/4 Photo 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Australian Open Hard GS 66p Jan 30 05 3 Serena ...Sania Mirza Indian tennis pics pictures photos images
Sania Mirza , ranked 166 in the world and playing in the main draw as a wildcard against American superstar Serena Williams at the Australian Open Grand Slam ...'No pressure playing a Grand Slam'
Search: The Web, Rediff, Home > Sports > Interviews The Rediff Interview/ Sania Mirza 'No pressure playing a Grand Slam' January 24, 2005 ...Sania Mirza wins, makes history- The Times of India
... Sania Mirza wins, makes history Add to Clippings PTI [ MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2005 08:36:23 PM ]. NEW DELHI: Sania Mirza rewrote Indian ...Juniortennis.com
Sania Mirza . ©Annie Paton. Ambition : "To be among top 20 in WTA rankings". Favorite Tournament : WTA Indian open. Favorite Surface ...Sunday, February 06, 2005
Sania Mirza-Small Kid wonder
Born in Mumbai on 15th November 1986, Sania started playing Lawn Tennis at a tender age of six. Sania was into the game mould very soon and started practicing under CK Bhupati who happens to be India's top tennis star Mahesh Bhupati's father. Sania has an interesting tale going for her for her inception to the game. Her dad Imran Mirza and mom Nasima were watching a Steffi Graf and Conchita Martinez battle, when they decided to make their daughter a Tennis star.
Sania's career hasn't been a bed of roses. Her family's financial conditions were not that good for the girl to lift her game. She was highly encouraged by the Andhra Pradesh government who sponsored all her events. Annually Sania requires 40 lakhs for her expenses and Andhra Pradesh government is trying their level best to see that the lady scales height.
Sania through her riveting performance has captured million hearts at stake. Globosport, which is managing Sania's portfolio, is also looking forward to a coaching stint for the Indian girl with Bob Brett, the man who once trained Boris Becker and Goran Ivanisevic.
Sania's mom travels with her in every tour and checks her daughter health and hygiene factor. A Telugu film producer had planned to make a movie, with Sania playing the lead actress but Sania's mom is strict about it. Sania meanwhile is planning to finish her graduation and then maybe in the near future. Sania is like any ordinary girl. Sania likes listening to Rap and Hindi remix. Sania has no boyfriend now and plans to have one in the near future.
Sania has dreams of being the Wimbledon singles champion one day and is working on her serve and volley at will. However Sania gives education her due point. Sania wants to complete her graduation and embark on professional tennis further. Her goal is to be the numero uno and going by her recent performance Sania has every chance of performing well in the global circuit and if she does that she would be another crowning jewel to Indian pedestal.
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