Sania's all the rage in NY

NEW YORK: There's interest and intrigue surrounding the 18-year-old Indian in locker rooms, media centres and viewing galleries around the world.

There's a fair bit of animosity too, as in the case of defending US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Love or loathe her, Sania Mirza is dominating conversations in and around tennis. Not all of the game's big guns have played her or know her but they have all heard of the big-hitting Hyderabadi.

From world number one Lindsay Davenport to Russian rage Maria Sharapova and former US Open champion Justine Henin-Hardenne, they all know off the nose-ringed Indian, who has jumped over 150 slots in the WTA ranking since the start of the year.

Kim Clijsters, the friendly Belgian, seeded fourth and favourite to win the title here, took her hat off to Sania. "She is definitely a girl with a lot of talent," Clijsters said. "She's very nice too. I spoke to her a few times in Toronto last week. She's very easy going. I think her best tennis is incredible. She's probably hitting the ball a lot harder and cleaner than lot of the top girls but she's still a little inconsistent. She'll learn through experience and I definitely think she's going to be a very good player."

At the pre-tournament interview session on Sunday, where players are asked about everything from eye make-up to attitude to retirement plans, Russian Kuznetsova, the Indian's first top-ten victim earlier in the year in Dubai, when asked what she thought of Sania's growing status in the game, rolled her eyes and asked the moderator, "What has this got to do with the US Open?"

Then, as an afterthought, the chunky pro added dryly, "She's a great player. She has a very good forehand. She has to play lots of matches and improve but she can play good."

With the media the questions are unending ranging from the curious to the ridiculous. A local journalist wanted to know how rare it is for an Indian girl to play sport. Another asked if it was okay for a "a Muslim girl to wear short skirts?"

They want to know how much of a celebrity she is back home "because with the Indian community around the world she's a hero."

On Sunday at the USTA Tennis Centre there were a fair bit of Indians watching players practice in the hope of catching a glimpse of Sania, who is scheduled to play American Mashona Washington on a showcourt on Monday. "We are really proud of her," Raj Ganapathy, originally from Hyderabad, now residing in Manhattan, said. For an Indian girl to be in the world's top-50 is something. Mind you, she's not from the big cities like Delhi, Mumbai or Chennai. For a girl from a small city to do what she has is incredible. She's got great attitude and that's what this city is all about."