"Sania full pro" :CGK Bhupathi

Sania Mirza was not jeopardising her career by playing despite an injury, seasoned coach C G K Bhupathi has said.

Sania had strained her abdominal muscle a few weeks back but Bhupathi, father of Mahesh Bhupathi whose Globosport manages Sania, said Sania had the right people around to advise her.

"She is a full pro. She has the experience, and the professional support. Her parents are well informed and there is Mahesh as well to advise her. If they had the slightest doubt that the injury is likely to affect her, they would not even have allowed her to practice," Bhupathi told PTI.

He said Sania would have to work on her physical strength and speed in order to break into top-10 in world rankings.

"When she is in top-30 or 40, she can hit one shot and finish the point. When she is up against players from the top-10 she has to hit and be ready for the ball to come back. She must be ready to hit the next shot, and the next, and the next," Bhupathi, who had worked with the teen tennis sensation in her early days, said.

The Bangalorean said Sania's quick climb to the top of the game surprised him. "Not so fast. I expected her to be there but no so soon," said Bhupathi who had proclaimed after the Australian Open that she had it in her to be a top-10 player.

Sania, currently ranked 42 and should move closer to 35 when the list is updated next week, was ranked outside 100 at the start of the year.