Sania Mirza comeback in Strasbourg

Sania will be testing her ankle at the Tier III event

New Delhi: Sania Mirza will be looking to regain her winning touch ahead of the French Open in her comeback tournament at the Tier III $170,000 Strasbourg Open after a six-week injury lay-off.

The 18-year-old, currently training at Bob Brett’s academy in San Remo, Italy, said she needed to get as many matches as possible under her belt before playing the claycourt Grand Slam in Paris beginning on May 23. Sania, ranked No. 72 on the WTA Tour list, will be leaving for France on Friday.

“I am coming back from an injury, so I need to play as many matches as possible and test the ankle first,” Sania said from San Remo. “Of course I enter every tournament to win, but this time first I have to know about my ankle.”

The slippery claycourts would make the task all the more tough for the first Indian to win a WTA crown.

The 2003 Wimbledon junior doubles champion said her fitness was good but is yet to reach peak level.

“I have been working steadily. Fitnesswise I am all right, but I am not stressing my ankle too much. It has been three hours of play and two hours of physical programme (at the academy). When I say physical, I mean it does not affect the ankle.”