Tennis remains my prime goal: Sania Mirza

Sania Mirza on Sunday asserted that tennis still remained her number one priority and that she was not being distracted by her recent success and the new found fame that has come along with it.

Sania, whose participation in the Fed Cup team competition next week here has been rendered doubtful due to an ankle injury, said playing for the country was something she had always looked forward to, but had to keep in mind the long term goals.

"I would rather play the Fed Cup next five years instead of playing now and mess up my career. I know that people have started talking ... but I and the people close to me know that I will give anything to play for my country," the 18-year-old Hyderabadi said.

India are to play in the Group I tie of the Asia Oceania zonal qualifyiers here from Apr 18 to 23, with the top team getting to play the World Group II play-offs.

Sania dismissed suggestions that endorsements that have come her way since the Australian Open exploits have affected her focus.

"What endorsements, I am not running for it, right. Taking rest does not mean I have to be on bed," she said at comments that she was spending time away from tennis in doing ad shoots.

"I have allotted only 25 days in the year for commercials and it is as well I complete my commitments during this off-time so that I can concentrate on game when I start playing," she said.

Talking about the injury in the left ankle, which she picked up in a USD 50,000 event in December last year, Sania said the winning run had made her push the limits.