You can’t afford to play: Sania (interview with Sania)

NEW DELHI: She shoots from the hip. Sania Mirza doesn’t believe in hiding behind vague, ambiguous answers. Taking a break from non-stop tennis, India’s latest obsession talks candidly about her game, her future and her self

Excerpts from the interview:

Reaching top 50 was a personal goal that you set for yourself after Hyderabad and Dubai. How difficult was the journey? After the ankle injury, had you imagined that just two months down the line you would be counted among the world’s top 50?

International tennis is very competitive and one can never take one’s success for granted. There will always be ups and downs in tennis as in life but I was confident that if I had a good run in any given fortnight, I had a chance of breaking into the top 50. Fortunately for me, it came a bit earlier than I had anticipated.

What are the lessons you’ve learnt about yourself in your first full year on the tour?

I’ve learnt that success is never going to be easy on the professional tour and one has to work very hard to achieve it. I also figured that though I have several weaknesses in my game, I also possess some strengths that can enable me to compete against some of the best in the world. But I still need some time to hone these strengths and to translate them into consistent victories.

Your popularity now stretches across the continents. How important is it for you to play with support in the stands? Some of your best performances have come when you had very supportive crowds in Hyderabad, Dubai, Wimbledon, even Australia.

I’d much rather have people cheering for me rather than for my opponent! However, noisy crowds like in Hyderabad and Dubai disturb me as much as my opponents. Besides there is also the pressure of expectations from the fans.

When you suffered the ankle injury, you didn’t have the option of skipping tournaments. As a result you pushed your ankle and yourself. Now you have a stomach strain that’s been with you for some time now. Do you feel you can be more relaxed about taking time out?

Everyone on the circuit is struggling with some sort of an injury and one can’t afford to play too safe or one would be left way behind in the rankings. However, if there is a risk of aggravating an injury it only makes sense to take a break. Also, in the present scenario, as I have been playing some qualifying matches, followed by main draws and also doubles, as in Cincinnati, I thought I had played far too many matches and needed a break before the US Open.

Do you agree that your success is related to your going for the kill from the first shot? Will being in the top 50 be any different for you in that regard?

I have played aggressive tennis ever since I was a kid and I think that it is my strength. Of course, my game will now be analysed for sure, but I will also be gaining in experience and hopefully will be in a position to adjust to the changing demands of top level tennis.

You’ve said before that tennis is all about having fun. Does the constant media scrutiny take some of the fun away?

I have realised that the media is very much a part of tennis. But yes, the constant media scrutiny (as in India) is a bit unique and can be trying at times.

How beneficial has it been having a coach, John Farrington, travel with you? What improvements have you noticed in your game?

Of course, having a coach is beneficial to me but at least give John and me time till the US Open before we start feeling the difference.

Your game has blown away the top-10 players like Svetlana Kuznetsova, Nadia Petrova but you have struggled, comparatively, against the retrievers like Morigami.

The difference in levels of the top 75 players is only marginal and the player who plays the 3 or 4 big points well on that particular day generally emerges the winner. So I don’t think it’s right to expect a relative greenhorn like me to constantly beat top 50 players only because I’ve had the good fortune of upsetting a couple of top 10 players.

Are you goal-oriented or is it just a matter of hitting the ball as hard as you can and enjoy yourself doing it, fame and fortune included?

I love hitting the ball as hard as I can and thoroughly enjoy myself while doing it but it would all have no meaning if I did not set goals for myself. However, I believe in setting myself realistic goals.