| | | Sania Mirza during the quater-final match at the Dubai Open tennis Tournament | MUMBAI, March 4: As Sania Mirza continues to take Indian women's tennis to uncharted heights, there's one man who's watching proudly, knowing he played a part. Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar was among those instrumental in getting Sania a wild card for the event.
Shyam Bhatia, an Indian sports-loving businessman in Dubai, got a request from Sania's aunt for a wild card. Bhatia took the opinion of his long-time friend Gavaskar. The former India captain told him that Sania could be a crowd-puller, with Dubai teeming with Indian ex-pats.
Bhatia then requested Abdul Falaknaz, prominent businessman and sports organiser and architect of Dubai Sports City, who said he knew the organisers and could organise the wild card. And thus the fairy tale was scripted.
Anil Nair, CEO, Sports Brand media group who are the telecasters, confirmed from Dubai the request made by Gavaskar.
"I got a call in Australia from Sunny. I forwarded the request to the tournament director, Salah Tahlak and Colm McLouglin of Dubai Duty Free who own the event. They awarded three wild cards. One to Conchita Martinez, another to a Tunisian and the third to Sania. No one regrets it," he understated.
Sania scripted history by beating a top ten women's star Kuznetsova before losing to an unseeded Serbian Jankovic.
Had she won she would have met Serena Williams all over again. | 
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