Sprightly and sporty (Metro Plus Hyderabad feature published on Monday, Feb 03, 2003)

Sprightly and sporty

All eyes will be on Sania Mirza when she shares the courts with some of the best names in world tennis. "The WTA Indian Open will be a good exposure for me," says this youngster in conversation with V.V. SUBRAHMANYAM.

Photo: P. V. Sivakumar

CENTRE COURT: Local lass Sania Mirza is one of the major attractions. — Photo: P. V. Sivakumar

THE STAGE is set for the queen-in-waiting of Indian tennis, Sania Mirza, to unravel her high quality game when she engages herself in duels against some of the celebrated names in the first-ever WTA Indian Open championship at Fateh Maidan Tennis Complex (February 3 to 8). In fact, Sania will be partnering Mary Pierce in the doubles event. Yet, to expect something stunning from this 16-year-old girl from Hyderabad can be dubbed as wishful thinking. Well, miracles in sports do happen. But the gifted Sania, who has achieved what no other Indian had by winning the Asian Junior championship recently besides picking bronze, partnering Leander Paes in the Busan Asiad, is not so naive to fancy her chances in this mega event. "I don't think I will be under pressure playing in front of home crowd in the WTA Open. For the simple reason, no one expects me to win,'' she quipped to a query. But, it is an indisputable fact that Sania is surely going to be one of the major attractions despite not achieving stardom in the real sense in the tough and competitive women's tennis world.

In a way, Sania, ranked No.506 in ITF women's circuit and No.30 in juniors grade, feels that the best part of the event is that it gives her lot of exposure. "It will be apparently a big and perfect learning experience for future assignments, '' says the XI Standard student of Nasr School, who is on a dream run with the latest feat being two golds in the 32nd National Games in Hyderabad. Interestingly, she points out that the high percentage of success in recent times is primarily after she joined the Bhupathi-Nike Academy in Bangalore last 2001 January. "Definitely, my backhand improved a lot. There is certainly a need to improve upon my serve. Some brushing up of my ground strokes is on ,'' she analyses. And she is receptive to genuine advice. For instance, she diligently tries to put into her game, the tips from Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi - the serve should go up a little bit and the returns a bit above the net - for better results. That she won four singles and three doubles titles besides entering the doubles quarter-finals of US Junior Open partnering Isha Lakhani is a fair indication that Sania is on a dream run.

Well, not many might be aware of the turbulent phase Sania's parents underwent in the last eight years. "It was a big gamble to put her into tennis. But that was based on our firm belief that she is destined to make waves in the tennis circuit,'' recalls Imran Mirza, the champion youngster's father. "The very fact that we have decided not to encourage our second daughter to be a tennis player despite showing profound interest, is a reflection of how costly the proposition it is. In the case of Sania, we were lucky that most of the times we could manage the financial constraints, thanks to sponsors like GVK Group of Industries, AITA and the SAAP,'' he explains. Just consider this. For a player of Sania's calibre to compete in the world circuit, it costs at least Rs 35 lakhs. So, if people think that mere structural edifices will produce outstanding talent, it may be a misplaced notion.

And she has a dream to chase too. Sania has an intense desire to be ranked among the top 50 in the world and stay there for some time. More importantly, she is aware how difficult it can be to counter the possible winds of change. "I know that I should achieve that goal within the next two years. Beyond that, it will be very difficult,'' says this girl, who is a celebrity of sorts.Longing to meet her cricketing hero, Sachin Tendulkar, she was pleasantly surprised when another Hyderabadi V.V.S Laxman and Tinu Yohanan slipped into the Junior Wimbledon tennis championship to exchange pleasantries and convey best wishes.

Is it time for Sania to hire a foreign coach? "Well, I will basically look for someone who understands me and my game. And, it is not necessarily foreign for the Indian coaches are equally good,'' she says. However, Imran makes a valid point saying: "When the going has been good in recent time, why break the trend? She has been winning most of the events. We will think of the foreign coach option only if there is a slump. No doubt, a foreign coach can take care of a quality training partner quite easily.''

Sania has come a long way since she started competing regularly at the Ace Tennis Academy (Begumpet) tournaments in 1997. Now, though a little bit rusty for not having competed for more than a month and carrying a niggle on the right hand wrist, Sania is the player to watch out in the WTA from the Indian perspective for her class and the disdainful manner in which she disposes of her rivals on her day. The connoisseurs too will definitely have a chance to make an objective assessment of where exactly she stands and a need for her to move up in the echelons of intense, competitive circuit at the highest level.