Tuesday, 01 November, Hyderabad - India's women tennis sensation Sania Mirza endorsed the 'Save A Child's Heart' (SACH) bands.
SACH bands are embossed with slogans like 'Let us save children with Heart Diseases, let us wear the SACH band'. ''I wear one,'' said Sania on Monday.
The bands are available at multiple outlets in Hyderabad and cost Rs 50 per band.
SACH has so far screened 25,000 children in the country and provided aid to about 1,000 in August last year and has 3,240 children waiting for surgery.
The proceeds of Sania endorsed SACH bands will go to the treatment of the children, according to a release from Apollo Hospitals. Donors will also receive personal letters from the tennis sensation.
Monday, October 31, 2005
Saturday, October 29, 2005
After inaugurating a shoe company store in New Delhi
India's tennis player Sania Mirza pauses while talking to the media after inaugurating a shoe company store in New Delhi October 28, 2005. REUTERS/Adnan AbidiBudding tennis players get tips from Sania
Juggling endorsements and inaugurations, Sania Mirza, during her whirlwind visit to New Delhi took some time out to watch and encourage youngsters.
It was a chance of a lifetime for 10-year-old Sahil. The youngster was one of those who got the rare chance to interact with India's biggest teen icon.
"She asked me not to be shy. I think her game can still improve a bit, even though she's such a great player," said Sahil.
Playing role model
The 18-year-old was quite clear that being a role model is something far more important than just winning matches.
"What makes it to the newspapers is not what's big. What's more important is the love I get from you guys and hearing youngsters say, 'Sania I took to tennis and not cricket because of you'," said Sania.
It was a busy day for Sania.
She had to inaugurate a factory and then had to do a press conference to announce her tie up with a footwear company.
Inspiring others
As part of that sponsorship, Sania will lend her expertise to kids in 24 tennis academies around India.
"It is now easier for players to come up. Earlier there was no infrastructure. I have myself twisted my ankle as a result of broken courts. What is good is that attitudes are also changing. But we need to be more patient, as I'm sure more players will come up," the World No 34 said.
She may be just 18, but Sania Mirza is already talking about giving something back to the game.
And Indian fans are certainly hoping that like Vishwanathan Anand, she can inspire a host of young world-beaters from India.
It was a chance of a lifetime for 10-year-old Sahil. The youngster was one of those who got the rare chance to interact with India's biggest teen icon.
"She asked me not to be shy. I think her game can still improve a bit, even though she's such a great player," said Sahil.
Playing role model
The 18-year-old was quite clear that being a role model is something far more important than just winning matches.
"What makes it to the newspapers is not what's big. What's more important is the love I get from you guys and hearing youngsters say, 'Sania I took to tennis and not cricket because of you'," said Sania.
It was a busy day for Sania.
She had to inaugurate a factory and then had to do a press conference to announce her tie up with a footwear company.
Inspiring others
As part of that sponsorship, Sania will lend her expertise to kids in 24 tennis academies around India.
"It is now easier for players to come up. Earlier there was no infrastructure. I have myself twisted my ankle as a result of broken courts. What is good is that attitudes are also changing. But we need to be more patient, as I'm sure more players will come up," the World No 34 said.
She may be just 18, but Sania Mirza is already talking about giving something back to the game.
And Indian fans are certainly hoping that like Vishwanathan Anand, she can inspire a host of young world-beaters from India.
Sania to return to court in January
New Delhi: Plagued by a back injury which forced her to pull out of the Thailand Open, tennis ace Sania Mirza said she would be fit in two weeks and would be back in the circuit in January next year.
"I'm recovering well and the injury is much better now. I think it will take a couple of weeks more to heal completely," said the Hyderabadi teenager, who is here on a promotional campaign.
Asked when she expects to be back in the circuit, the 34th ranked player in the world said, "I think it will be in January."
Sania said she was looking forward to working with legendary coach Tony Roche, whose wards include World No 1 Roger Federer.
"I don't know what it's going to be, but yes I'm looking forward to working with him. I know I have some weaknesses like my serve and my fitness. I'm also having great help from (traveling coach) John (Farrington)," she said.
"I'm recovering well and the injury is much better now. I think it will take a couple of weeks more to heal completely," said the Hyderabadi teenager, who is here on a promotional campaign.
Asked when she expects to be back in the circuit, the 34th ranked player in the world said, "I think it will be in January."
Sania said she was looking forward to working with legendary coach Tony Roche, whose wards include World No 1 Roger Federer.
"I don't know what it's going to be, but yes I'm looking forward to working with him. I know I have some weaknesses like my serve and my fitness. I'm also having great help from (traveling coach) John (Farrington)," she said.
Friday, October 28, 2005
India's tennis player Sania Mirza pauses while talking to the media after inaugurating a shoe company store in New Delhi October 28, 2005. REUTERS/Adnan AbidiWednesday, October 26, 2005
Tendulkar, Sania Mirza lend name to Hyderabad 10K Run
Tennis ace and local favourite Sania Mirza, marksman Gagan Narang and a large number of celebrities will hit the road on November 27 in the inaugural Hyderabad Half Marathon which is being organised along with the Hyderabad 10K Run under the aegis of Hyderabad 10K Foundation and Andhra Pradesh Government.
Sania Mirza, Karthikeyan cheer Tata Indicom subscribers
Hyderabad: Tata Indicom Brand Ambassador Sania Mirza and racing icon Narain Karthikeyan today joined celebrations to cheer up the growing Tata Indicom subscriber base and went on a road show to highlight the non-stop-mobile service in the state.
Speaking on the occasion, Tata Indicom Chief Operating Officer of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka Prabhat Pani said Tata Indicom's recently introduced ''Non Stop Mobile'', "the only pre-paid service to offer two years of free incoming calls," has evoked tremendous response nationally.
He said the service was adding new mobile subscribers across the country and the response in Andhra Pradesh was on an upswing.
''Backed with this encouraging response, Tata Indicom has scaled the 7.5 lakh mark in subscriber base in the state.
Karthikeyan congratulated the Tata Indicom team for making the mobile services affordable to everybody.
Later, Narain Karthikeyan and Sania Mirza gave away prizes to at the Hyderabad Central Mall to those who participated in the competitions organised by Tata Indicom.
Speaking on the occasion, Tata Indicom Chief Operating Officer of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka Prabhat Pani said Tata Indicom's recently introduced ''Non Stop Mobile'', "the only pre-paid service to offer two years of free incoming calls," has evoked tremendous response nationally.
He said the service was adding new mobile subscribers across the country and the response in Andhra Pradesh was on an upswing.
''Backed with this encouraging response, Tata Indicom has scaled the 7.5 lakh mark in subscriber base in the state.
Karthikeyan congratulated the Tata Indicom team for making the mobile services affordable to everybody.
Later, Narain Karthikeyan and Sania Mirza gave away prizes to at the Hyderabad Central Mall to those who participated in the competitions organised by Tata Indicom.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Muslim Mirza caught up in cultural protest
 |
| Sania Mirza in seen in this October 2005 file photo. |
By N.Ananthanarayanan NEW DELHI - After zooming from anonymity into the hearts of her nation in just 10 months, India's teenage tennis sensation Sania Mirza was caught up in a cultural protest for breaking the mould by being a Muslim athlete. The 18-year-old Mirza has surmounted religious barriers to surge from 206th in the women's world rankings last December to 34th this week. Her rise has not gone unnoticed by radical Islamic clerics in largely Hindu but officially secular India, home to some 130 million Muslims. Mirza was given extra security last month after an Islamic cleric denounced her for wearing short skirts and sleeveless shirts on court and threatened to stop her playing in a WTA event in Kolkata.
Other Muslim groups denounced the edict, with a Madrassas board in an eastern Indian state even saying it planned to insert a chapter on Mirza into its school books. Mirza's status as a youth icon in a country starved of sporting success quickly helped her to ride out the controversy. Women in more conservative Muslim nations usually face a daunting challenge in their quest for sporting glory. They have to wear modest clothes to avoid offending religious and social mores and compete in front of crowds made up only of women and accompanied men. TRACKSUIT TROUSERS
Afghanistan's Lima Azimi made history two years ago in Paris by becoming the first woman from her ravaged country to take part in the world athletics championships. Running in a grey T-shirt and black tracksuit trousers, rather than the body suit worn by her rivals, she clocked a modest 18.37 seconds and was eliminated in her 100 metres heats. "It was not important for me to run fast but it was very important to participate," she said. Azimi's humble feat came 19 years after Moroccan Nawal El Moutawakel became the first woman from a Muslim nation to win Olympic gold with victory in the 400 metres hurdles in Los Angeles. Mirza, born to educated, wealthy parents, has been hailed for her self-confidence and maturity beyond her age in a nation which won only one medal in each of the last three Olympics.
In January, she became the first Indian woman to reach round three of a grand slam at the Australian Open. She notched up more firsts by claiming India's maiden WTA title before breaking into the top 100 in the rankings. Her run to the U.S. Open fourth round in September lifted her to a career-high 31st in the world. Mirza herself has remained untouched by the attention she has attracted, appearing in a T-shirt bearing the slogan: "I'm old enough to know better, but still too young to care." Indian broadcaster Rajdeep Sardesai criticised the complaint about Mirza's playing attire. "The obvious response of right-thinking, reasonable Indians would be that Sania should be seen for what she is: a talented 18-year-old representing the country on the world stage and revelling in the attention," Sardesai wrote in a newspaper column.
"Why see Sania in any narrow, bigoted sense, even if only as a symbol of minority achievement?" DRESS CODE Pakistani tennis player Mariam Rahim remains frustrated by the dress code in her own country. "We don't have any choice," she said. "I wear salwar kameez. It is also a very difficult crowd here. "If you want quality, then these things should change."
Sports officials in Islamic Pakistan are hopeful that change will come. Pakistan recently organised its first national women's soccer championship, although under strictly segregated conditions. Pakistan athletics federation secretary Mohd Khalid Mehmood said: "We can't follow immediately...slowly, slowly, not all of a sudden." "These days women have been empowered so things are getting better for them," Pakistan women's cricket captain Shamsha Hashmi told Reuters from Lahore. "Earlier, we had to face a lot of problems from religious fanatics but more women are coming into sports now and families are more supportive." Fatima Lakhani, who was Pakistan's chef-de-mission at the recent Islamic Games in Tehran, said sports organisations wanted clothing manufactures to design sportswear that would allow women to move freely without offending religious sensibilities.
Monday, October 24, 2005
A year of satisfaction: Sania
Looking back at the year which had seen seen her jump the rankings by many notches, tennis star Sania Mirza on Monday expressed satisfaction over her performance in the first full-fledged season on the WTA Tour which brought many firsts to her credit.
"It has been the best year for me," Sania told reporters at function to announce her as new brand ambassador of Hyundai Motors on Monday.
"The year has seen my rankings shoot up and it's a good thing to happen," said Sania, who became the first Indian woman to enter the fourth round of any Grand Slam said.
Sania, whose target was just to break into the top 50 rank at start of the year, reached as high as 31.
Sania, however refused to comment on the reported remarks of state sport minister M Sattyanarayana Rao who said that the teenager did need not any financial help from state.
Earlier, the 18-year old Hyderabadi was presented with a shiny red Hyundai Getz to mark her association with the Korean car maker.
"It has been the best year for me," Sania told reporters at function to announce her as new brand ambassador of Hyundai Motors on Monday.
"The year has seen my rankings shoot up and it's a good thing to happen," said Sania, who became the first Indian woman to enter the fourth round of any Grand Slam said.
Sania, whose target was just to break into the top 50 rank at start of the year, reached as high as 31.
Sania, however refused to comment on the reported remarks of state sport minister M Sattyanarayana Rao who said that the teenager did need not any financial help from state.
Earlier, the 18-year old Hyderabadi was presented with a shiny red Hyundai Getz to mark her association with the Korean car maker.
Sania slips two places in WTA rankings
India's tennis sensation Sania Mirza slipped two places in the singles Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings to finish the week in 34th spot after a back strain forced her to pull out of the Thailand Open earlier.
This is the second consecutive week that Sania has slipped places after a career high 31st rank achieved after a semi-finals appearance in the Japan Open earlier in the month.
The Hyderabadi girl also slipped five places in the doubles rankings and is currently in 114th spot.
It was not all bad news for Indian tennis though as Davis Cup captain Leander Paes climbed two places to 11th spot in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) doubles entry rankings.
Paes had a fairly successful month winning the Bangkok Open with Australian Paul Hanley and reaching the finals of the Stockholm Open and the Madrid Masters with Serbian Nenad Zimonjic.
This is the second consecutive week that Sania has slipped places after a career high 31st rank achieved after a semi-finals appearance in the Japan Open earlier in the month.
The Hyderabadi girl also slipped five places in the doubles rankings and is currently in 114th spot.
It was not all bad news for Indian tennis though as Davis Cup captain Leander Paes climbed two places to 11th spot in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) doubles entry rankings.
Paes had a fairly successful month winning the Bangkok Open with Australian Paul Hanley and reaching the finals of the Stockholm Open and the Madrid Masters with Serbian Nenad Zimonjic.
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Function to unveil the Deutsche Bank logo
Friday, October 21, 2005
Sania's huge burden
Unrealistic expectations are bound to place an awesome burden on Sania Mirza, writes Nirmal Shekar
So, Sania Mirza has yet another new role — that of a world-changing pioneer. If you were to believe the pundits, the Hyderabad teenager can have a major impact on issues and events that a Nelson Mandela might find mind-bogglingly complex.
Driven by Utopian impulses, even the well-meaning and erudite can sometimes find the temptation to settle for naive and simplistic assessments irresistible. Yet, these temptations are to be resisted, for they can do the celebrated young woman more harm than good in the long run.
Changing the world, reordering society... these are games in which the best of life's players — visionary statesmen, sagacious leaders and great philosophers — have often found to their dismay that the failure rate was alarmingly high. And to expect a tennis playing teenager who is yet to acquire a college degree to achieve success in this game is nothing short of preposterous. Climbing trees to get to the stars may be an interesting pastime but, in the end, it is nothing more than that.
Yet, the point here is not about how far-fetched the theory — that Sania has it in her to change the world and make it a better place for all of us — is. It is about the awesome burden such talk can place on her young shoulders.
Remarkable year
Through a remarkable year in which she sky-rocketed from well outside the top 200 in rankings to No.32, Sania has done even better off the courts, handling everything hurled at her with commendable maturity and poise.
But, right now, she would sooner change her service toss than attempt anything to change the world. Seeking to accomplish socio-political change for the better, or even donning the role of a cultural ambassador, are matters that are unlikely to dominate her agenda now, or even in the near future.
And why would we want her to do anything like that? Already there are enough pressures in her station in life — as a top-level tennis pro. In the event, why add to them and make things even more difficult for her?
As she looks back on a season in which she took off on wings of fantasy to soar to heights rarely aspired to by Asian sportswomen, Sania must surely be wondering what she did to attract the attention of the let's-find-an-icon-to-change-the-world intellectual community.
A huge price tag
Of course, fame, money and adulation in sport come with a huge price tag. From Don Bradman down to Sachin Tendulkar and from Suzanne Lenglen down to Maria Sharapova, sportspersons have been keenly aware of this trade off. Some have resented it but the good majority have accepted the reality gracefully.
But, then, in Sania's case, it appears to be more than just the normal variety of sporting fame. That is the scary part.
Undeniably, she is a role model for tennis playing kids in India — talented, confident, aggressive on court and charming off the court. But to expect Sania to be a role model in triggering changes deemed necessary in the world by this group or the other is ridiculous.
The kid didn't set out to be a social reformer when she picked up a tennis racquet. All she dreamed of was simply a magical year like 2005 when she has transformed herself from Sania Who? to near-iconic status.
And left to herself, she would continue to dream in the same direction. Perhaps from 32 to Top 10.
It seems almost cruel to interfere with that dream. It is time we left Sania alone and, instead, started to rejoice in the power of sporting dreams.
© Copyright 2000 - 2005 The Hindu
So, Sania Mirza has yet another new role — that of a world-changing pioneer. If you were to believe the pundits, the Hyderabad teenager can have a major impact on issues and events that a Nelson Mandela might find mind-bogglingly complex.
Driven by Utopian impulses, even the well-meaning and erudite can sometimes find the temptation to settle for naive and simplistic assessments irresistible. Yet, these temptations are to be resisted, for they can do the celebrated young woman more harm than good in the long run.
Changing the world, reordering society... these are games in which the best of life's players — visionary statesmen, sagacious leaders and great philosophers — have often found to their dismay that the failure rate was alarmingly high. And to expect a tennis playing teenager who is yet to acquire a college degree to achieve success in this game is nothing short of preposterous. Climbing trees to get to the stars may be an interesting pastime but, in the end, it is nothing more than that.
Yet, the point here is not about how far-fetched the theory — that Sania has it in her to change the world and make it a better place for all of us — is. It is about the awesome burden such talk can place on her young shoulders.
Remarkable year
Through a remarkable year in which she sky-rocketed from well outside the top 200 in rankings to No.32, Sania has done even better off the courts, handling everything hurled at her with commendable maturity and poise.
But, right now, she would sooner change her service toss than attempt anything to change the world. Seeking to accomplish socio-political change for the better, or even donning the role of a cultural ambassador, are matters that are unlikely to dominate her agenda now, or even in the near future.
And why would we want her to do anything like that? Already there are enough pressures in her station in life — as a top-level tennis pro. In the event, why add to them and make things even more difficult for her?
As she looks back on a season in which she took off on wings of fantasy to soar to heights rarely aspired to by Asian sportswomen, Sania must surely be wondering what she did to attract the attention of the let's-find-an-icon-to-change-the-world intellectual community.
A huge price tag
Of course, fame, money and adulation in sport come with a huge price tag. From Don Bradman down to Sachin Tendulkar and from Suzanne Lenglen down to Maria Sharapova, sportspersons have been keenly aware of this trade off. Some have resented it but the good majority have accepted the reality gracefully.
But, then, in Sania's case, it appears to be more than just the normal variety of sporting fame. That is the scary part.
Undeniably, she is a role model for tennis playing kids in India — talented, confident, aggressive on court and charming off the court. But to expect Sania to be a role model in triggering changes deemed necessary in the world by this group or the other is ridiculous.
The kid didn't set out to be a social reformer when she picked up a tennis racquet. All she dreamed of was simply a magical year like 2005 when she has transformed herself from Sania Who? to near-iconic status.
And left to herself, she would continue to dream in the same direction. Perhaps from 32 to Top 10.
It seems almost cruel to interfere with that dream. It is time we left Sania alone and, instead, started to rejoice in the power of sporting dreams.
© Copyright 2000 - 2005 The Hindu
Sania aims to be in Top 15 in 2006
Jaipur, October 20, 2005:Indian tennis star Sania Mirza says she now aims to get into the Top 15 ranking in her sport.
Sania, here to shoot an advertisement for automobile major Hyundai, said her main target for 2006 would to register an entry into the club of top 15 tennis players.
Speaking to reporters here late Wednesday, Sania said she had concrete plans to achieve this target and was working hard at it. "I always fix my targets," said Sania, who was recently appointed by Hyundai as the brand ambassador for its Getz car.
"Earlier it was top 100, then top 50 and now it is top 15," said Sania, who is currently ranked 32.
She said she was working hard to improve her service and was equally concerned over her fitness. She said the injury that forced her to concede a second round match in the Thailand Open was not serious and she was absolutely fit now.
Though Hyundai kept Sania's schedule here secret, news of her arrival spread like wild fire and by Wednesday evening, many of her fans and admirers thronged the Jaipur Club premises, where the advertisement was being shot.
Cameras rolled the entire day, capturing the different moods and gestures of Sania who was dressed in a blue and white tunic. Sania's mother Nasima accompanied the tennis star to Jaipur, where she is likely to stay till Friday.
Sania, here to shoot an advertisement for automobile major Hyundai, said her main target for 2006 would to register an entry into the club of top 15 tennis players.
Speaking to reporters here late Wednesday, Sania said she had concrete plans to achieve this target and was working hard at it. "I always fix my targets," said Sania, who was recently appointed by Hyundai as the brand ambassador for its Getz car.
"Earlier it was top 100, then top 50 and now it is top 15," said Sania, who is currently ranked 32.
She said she was working hard to improve her service and was equally concerned over her fitness. She said the injury that forced her to concede a second round match in the Thailand Open was not serious and she was absolutely fit now.
Though Hyundai kept Sania's schedule here secret, news of her arrival spread like wild fire and by Wednesday evening, many of her fans and admirers thronged the Jaipur Club premises, where the advertisement was being shot.
Cameras rolled the entire day, capturing the different moods and gestures of Sania who was dressed in a blue and white tunic. Sania's mother Nasima accompanied the tennis star to Jaipur, where she is likely to stay till Friday.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Sania to train with Tony Roche
Sania to train with Tony Roche
October 19, 2005 16:42 IST
October 19, 2005 16:42 IST
Sania Mirza and Roger Federer will soon have something in common-- Tony Roche as part-time coach.
Roche will work on Sania's weaknesses, particularly her serve, before the start of the new season.
"Sania will start training in late December after a short winter break. She will train with Roche for three weeks in Sydney," Sania's father Imran Mirza said from Hyderabad.
Imran said it was only because of former Indian Davis Cupper Jaideep Mukherjea that Roche agreed to take up the assignment.
"Roche accepted to coach Sania only after Mukherjea put in a word. He normally does not take up assignments just like that and definitely not for someone like Sania who is up and coming talent," he said.
Roche signed up as the part-time coach of Federer at the beginning of this year only after great insistence from the Swiss multiple Grand Slam winner.
Imran said Sania would immensely benefit from her association with the Australian legend.
"Training with Roche, who has helped the likes of (Patrick) Rafter, (Ivan) Lendl and Federer, will be a big psychological boost for Sania," he said.
Imran also said efforts were on to rope in a trainer for Sania.
"We are looking for a trainer who will definitely be foreigner and probably an Australian," he said, adding Sania would play at least two tournaments in Sydney or Hobart before the first major of the year.
Imran said the injury which forced Sania to retire midway through her second round match in Thailand Open, was not serious.
"The injury is not serious and anyway she was to take rest after the Thailand Open."
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Financial support to Sania sparks debate
Mandarins in Andhra Pradesh's sports ministry are crossing swords over Sania Mirza, and the issue is financial support to India's tennis sensation.
Ironically it is the state sports minister M Satyanarayana Rao, who thinks Sania is being pampered at the expense of talent in other sports.
But chief minister Rajasekhara Reddy ignored Rao's objections and gave Sania a grant of Rs 20 lakh last month.
"Enough sponsors. She is very rich. I don't think there is any necessity for further help. She does not require. As a matter of fact, she is in a position to give us,'' said M Satyanarayana Rao, Sports minister, Andhra Pradesh.
The government has since 2001 given Rs 99 lakh to Sania, which is the highest to any player.
Winning horse
The feeling in the corridors of power is that the government has not got the mileage it should, despite the support it has given, and the private sponsors have been hogging the limelight.
Sania wasn't available for comment, having decided to take time off both tennis and the media.
The Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh however, says the government should continue to back a winning horse.
"She will be a role model not only in Andhra Pradesh but for the entire country. I hope that she breaks into the top ten and makes Sports Authority of AP proud,' said M S Raj Thakur, Chairman, Sports Authority of AP.
And now that a London weekly too has proclaimed Sania as one of the ten people capable of changing the world, support is not something she will be left wanting.
Ironically it is the state sports minister M Satyanarayana Rao, who thinks Sania is being pampered at the expense of talent in other sports.
But chief minister Rajasekhara Reddy ignored Rao's objections and gave Sania a grant of Rs 20 lakh last month.
"Enough sponsors. She is very rich. I don't think there is any necessity for further help. She does not require. As a matter of fact, she is in a position to give us,'' said M Satyanarayana Rao, Sports minister, Andhra Pradesh.
The government has since 2001 given Rs 99 lakh to Sania, which is the highest to any player.
Winning horse
The feeling in the corridors of power is that the government has not got the mileage it should, despite the support it has given, and the private sponsors have been hogging the limelight.
Sania wasn't available for comment, having decided to take time off both tennis and the media.
The Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh however, says the government should continue to back a winning horse.
"She will be a role model not only in Andhra Pradesh but for the entire country. I hope that she breaks into the top ten and makes Sports Authority of AP proud,' said M S Raj Thakur, Chairman, Sports Authority of AP.
And now that a London weekly too has proclaimed Sania as one of the ten people capable of changing the world, support is not something she will be left wanting.
Sania slips to 32nd rank on WTA list
Sania slips to 32nd rank on WTA list
October 18, 2005 11:32 IST
Sania Mirza slipped one spot to be number 32 in WTA Tour rankings but remained Asia's second best woman player after the latest rankings were released on Monday.
Sania, less than a month away from turning 19, was ranked at career best 31 last week but moved down one position following her pull out in the second round of the Thailand Open WTA event in Bangkok following a lower back strain.The Hyderabadi also touched a career high 109 from her last week's position of 115 in the doubles play.
Ai Sugiyama is the number one Asian player at 28 while Shuai Peng (33) and Shinobu Asagoe (34) closely follow Sania.
On the men's tour, Leander Paes climbed up two places to be 13 on the ATP Doubles Entry ranking list while Mahesh Bhupathi went down two notches to be placed at 15.
October 18, 2005 11:32 IST
Sania Mirza slipped one spot to be number 32 in WTA Tour rankings but remained Asia's second best woman player after the latest rankings were released on Monday.
Sania, less than a month away from turning 19, was ranked at career best 31 last week but moved down one position following her pull out in the second round of the Thailand Open WTA event in Bangkok following a lower back strain.The Hyderabadi also touched a career high 109 from her last week's position of 115 in the doubles play.
Ai Sugiyama is the number one Asian player at 28 while Shuai Peng (33) and Shinobu Asagoe (34) closely follow Sania.
On the men's tour, Leander Paes climbed up two places to be 13 on the ATP Doubles Entry ranking list while Mahesh Bhupathi went down two notches to be placed at 15.
`Sania Mirza is a role model'
| Sania has discipline, tenacity, flamboyance and talentShe is the first significant Indian female athleteThe tennis star is an icon |
PICTURE OF CHARM: Sania Mirza's talent, poise and success have caught the imagination of people all over the world.
LONDON: After making it to the cover of Time magazine, Sania Mirza finds herself listed as one of the ten people capable of changing the world by London's intellectual weekly New Statesman published on Monday.
In a 742-word article by Jason Cowley, the weekly says it is difficult to believe that ``a slender 18-year-old Muslim tennis player from India has the potential to change the world, but it is equally difficult to overestimate the effect Mumbai-born Sania Mirza, is having on millions of young men and women, and especially women.
``She is the first female Indian tennis player to be ranked in the world's top 40, indeed, she is the first significant female athlete of any kind, in a country where women have been typically discouraged from taking up sport,'' the article says.
It notes that Sania has the discipline, tenacity, flamboyance and, above all, the talent to go much higher in the rankings and, in so doing, inspire a whole new generation of Indian girls to express their hopes and ambitions through sport.
Elite company
Sania is bracketed with the likes of Emir of Qatar, who is showing the Middle East a different route to modernity, Barack Obama, America's fastest-rising political star, current U.S. senator for Illinois, Anton Zeilinger and Physicist and co-director, institute of Quantum Optics and Quantum Information, Vienna, Samira Makhmalbaf.
Recalling her recent tiff with Muslim clerics over her dress code, the article says, ``at home, in India, Mirza is a role model and an icon, her fame locating her somewhere between Bollywood and the mass adulation that surrounds the Indian cricket team. She is celebrated as much for her attitude and fashion sense (she wears a nose-ring and librarian glasses) as she is for her talent.
``She evidently enjoys the attention and delights in confounding expectations of exactly how a young Muslim woman from the subcontinent should behave. At Wimbledon, she wore a T-shirt bearing the slogan: Well-behaved women rarely make history; at the U.S. Open in September, where she lost in the quarterfinal to the Russian sensation Maria Sharapova, her T-shirt read: You can either agree with me, or be wrong'.
In ceaseless demand
``All this means that Mirza is in ceaseless demand for interviews, billboard advertising, endorsements (her fee is reported to be second only to the great batsman Sachin Tendulkar's) and television appearances.
Recalling the threats from a Muslim cleric, Cowley writes: ``The cleric is correct in identifying the world-transforming potential of a young, attractive, articulate and media-smart teenage Muslim tennis star, but wrong in his assessment of that influence.
``He understands how sport has become a common language for the global tribe, as well as an engine of change, an aggressive symbol of meritocracy and the mirror in which we see reflected back at us the competitive, style-driven, money-and celebrity-fixated world in which we live.''
Posing the question can Sania have a similarly transformative effect like Muhammad Ali and Pele, not only in India but also throughout the world, the writer says, ``she may not have won a major tournament, yet already she occupies a role through which flow many of the most significant intellectual and cultural currents of our times: the clash between secularism and political Islam, the emancipation of women in the Muslim world, the dominance of celebrity, the tyranny of the image, the emergency of India as a world power.''
Referring to her recent complaint that ``every word I speak, every skirt I wear, is discussed and analysed,'' on return to India from the United States, Cowley concludes: ``If she continues to improve as rapidly as she has over the past six months, Sania Mirza will simply have to get used to such obsessive scrutiny. There is no turning back now.'' — PTI
Sunday, October 16, 2005
After Times, Sania Mirza dons New Statesman's cover
London: Sania Mirza is on her way to becoming a global icon. After featuring on the Time Asia cover, she’s now on the UK-based New Statesman magazine’s list of ‘Ten People Who Will Change the World’.
The 93-year-old New Statesman is among the most respected political-literary-cultural weeklies in the UK: “An essential read for bright thinkers everywhere”. Its October 17 edition carries a cover story on men and women who will transform the world.
According to one of the editors, the aim was to “identify people who would have a profound impact on the world in the next decade or so”. Being not merely left of centre in its political ideology but also left of field in its thinking, the idea seems to be to produce a list which is fresh and thought-provoking.
Sania fits the bill not merely because of her tennis. She is seen as someone who can “inspire a whole new generation of Indian girls to express their hopes and ambitions through sport”.
In his article on Sania, Jason Cowley (editor of the Observer Sport Monthly and Booker judge in the year Arundhati Roy won the award) writes about the “world-transforming potential of a young, attractive, articulate and media-smart teenage Muslim tennis star”.
But this being the New Statesman, the idea is to see Sania — and her sport — as a symbol of a bigger, more sociologically significant phenomenon.
“Can Mirza have a similarly transformative effect, not only in India but also throughout the world? She may not have won a major tournament, yet already she occupies a role through which flow many of the most significant intellectual and cultural currents of our times: the clash between secularism and political Islam, the emancipation of women in the Muslim world, the dominance of celebrity, the tyranny of the image, the emergence of India as a world power,” Cowley writes.
The 93-year-old New Statesman is among the most respected political-literary-cultural weeklies in the UK: “An essential read for bright thinkers everywhere”. Its October 17 edition carries a cover story on men and women who will transform the world.
According to one of the editors, the aim was to “identify people who would have a profound impact on the world in the next decade or so”. Being not merely left of centre in its political ideology but also left of field in its thinking, the idea seems to be to produce a list which is fresh and thought-provoking.
Sania fits the bill not merely because of her tennis. She is seen as someone who can “inspire a whole new generation of Indian girls to express their hopes and ambitions through sport”.
In his article on Sania, Jason Cowley (editor of the Observer Sport Monthly and Booker judge in the year Arundhati Roy won the award) writes about the “world-transforming potential of a young, attractive, articulate and media-smart teenage Muslim tennis star”.
But this being the New Statesman, the idea is to see Sania — and her sport — as a symbol of a bigger, more sociologically significant phenomenon.
“Can Mirza have a similarly transformative effect, not only in India but also throughout the world? She may not have won a major tournament, yet already she occupies a role through which flow many of the most significant intellectual and cultural currents of our times: the clash between secularism and political Islam, the emancipation of women in the Muslim world, the dominance of celebrity, the tyranny of the image, the emergence of India as a world power,” Cowley writes.
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Sania retires hurt in second round of Thailand Open
Bangkok, Oct 13 (PTI) Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza's glorious run was today cut short when she retired hurt in the second round of USD 200,000 WTA Thailand Open tennis tournament here.
The fifth seed Indian was trailing 5-7 against Meng Yuan of China when she suffered lower back strain and threw in the towel before the start of the second set.
The Indian climbed up to her career-best 31st rank in the latest WTA singles list after she had reached the semifinals of a WTA event in Tokyo last week where she lost to third seeded Tatiana Golovin of France 2-6 4-6.
The Bangkok tour was Sania's last assignment before her scheduled break of around a month.
The 18-year-old had defeated Slovakia's Henrieta Nagyova 6-1 4-6 6-0 in the first round on Tuesday.
In the doubles also, Sania, partnering Sahar Peer of Israel, made it to the second round after beating America's Carly Gullickson and Abigali Spears in straight sets 6-2 7-6 (3) yesterday. PTI
The fifth seed Indian was trailing 5-7 against Meng Yuan of China when she suffered lower back strain and threw in the towel before the start of the second set.
The Indian climbed up to her career-best 31st rank in the latest WTA singles list after she had reached the semifinals of a WTA event in Tokyo last week where she lost to third seeded Tatiana Golovin of France 2-6 4-6.
The Bangkok tour was Sania's last assignment before her scheduled break of around a month.
The 18-year-old had defeated Slovakia's Henrieta Nagyova 6-1 4-6 6-0 in the first round on Tuesday.
In the doubles also, Sania, partnering Sahar Peer of Israel, made it to the second round after beating America's Carly Gullickson and Abigali Spears in straight sets 6-2 7-6 (3) yesterday. PTI
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Sania in second round of Thailand Open
Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza breezed into the second round of the $200,000 Thailand Open WTA tournament today after beating Slovakia's Henrieta Nagyova 6-1 4-6 6-0.
Seeded fifth, the 18-year-old Indian allowed her unseeded rival to stretch her into the third set after losing concentration in the second.
Sania, ranked 31 in the world, had made it to the semi-finals of the Japan Open last week where she lost to third seeded Tatiana Golovin of France 2-6 4-6. (PTI)
Seeded fifth, the 18-year-old Indian allowed her unseeded rival to stretch her into the third set after losing concentration in the second.
Sania, ranked 31 in the world, had made it to the semi-finals of the Japan Open last week where she lost to third seeded Tatiana Golovin of France 2-6 4-6. (PTI)
Thai Open could spell gains for Sania
For Sania Mirza this week’s Thailand Open could be a defining moment of her career. Seeded fifth in the event, a good performance here by Sania — she won her first-round match today — could see her get her first Grand Slam seeding, at the 2006 Australian Open.
To have a decent chance of being seeded at Melbourne, Sania will need to ensure that she manages to stay within the Top 35 for starts. Which simply means that she needs to ensure that she does not lose early; making the semis would be a big help. Anything short of that would leave her finishing the year a couple of spots outside the target (she herself believes she’d end at 40). However, earning a Slam seeding is not totally based on a player’s year-end finish. It depends on their status at the time of seeding, which in the case of the Australian Open is a week before the tournament proper. There are two weeks of tournaments before the Australian Open begins, and that’s where Sania also needs to shine.
Coming back to Thailand, Sania has every reason to believe she can make the semis. Seeded No 5 for the event — for only the fourth time in her WTA career — Sania despatched Slovakia’s Henrieta Nagyova, currently ranked 197 6-1, 4-6, 6-0.
Next up for her is China’s Meng Yuan, ranked in the high 100s, and then a possible quarterfinal match-up with No 3 seed Gisele Dulko of Argentina, to whom she lost at the French Open. That, though, was on clay and Thailand is Sania’s favourite surface — hard court.
There’s one more bonus that could come her way, if everything goes to script: She could end the year as Asia’s number one woman player, a position currently held by Japan’s Ai Sugiyama.
Not bad for someone in her first season in the big league.
To have a decent chance of being seeded at Melbourne, Sania will need to ensure that she manages to stay within the Top 35 for starts. Which simply means that she needs to ensure that she does not lose early; making the semis would be a big help. Anything short of that would leave her finishing the year a couple of spots outside the target (she herself believes she’d end at 40). However, earning a Slam seeding is not totally based on a player’s year-end finish. It depends on their status at the time of seeding, which in the case of the Australian Open is a week before the tournament proper. There are two weeks of tournaments before the Australian Open begins, and that’s where Sania also needs to shine.
Coming back to Thailand, Sania has every reason to believe she can make the semis. Seeded No 5 for the event — for only the fourth time in her WTA career — Sania despatched Slovakia’s Henrieta Nagyova, currently ranked 197 6-1, 4-6, 6-0.
Next up for her is China’s Meng Yuan, ranked in the high 100s, and then a possible quarterfinal match-up with No 3 seed Gisele Dulko of Argentina, to whom she lost at the French Open. That, though, was on clay and Thailand is Sania’s favourite surface — hard court.
There’s one more bonus that could come her way, if everything goes to script: She could end the year as Asia’s number one woman player, a position currently held by Japan’s Ai Sugiyama.
Not bad for someone in her first season in the big league.
After Time, Ten Sports lauds Sania Mirza
Sania Mirza's fans will get a chance to relive the memorable moments of her glorious run this year when Ten Sports captures three of her thrilling victories in their regular monthly programme 'Legends' during the month of October.
The 18-year-old Hyderabadi has leapfrogged almost 300 places to be 31st at the start of this week in the WTA rankings, thanks to some superb runs in major tournaments and victory in the Hyderabad WTA Tour event.
She also became the first Indian sportswoman to feature on the cover of the prestigious Time magazine.
As part of its popular Legends series, Ten Sports will telecast three half-hour programme featuring three of her thrilling victories during the year, as well as her own views on the matches and her career in general, a press release said here on Monday.
The programme, to be aired on Fridays, would include her breakthrough win against the then World No 7 and 2004 US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the Dubai Open, where she came back from 4-0 down in an enthralling encounter.
The series will also show her first and third round matches in the US Open, which made her the first Indian player to reach the fourth round of Grand Slam.
The 18-year-old Hyderabadi has leapfrogged almost 300 places to be 31st at the start of this week in the WTA rankings, thanks to some superb runs in major tournaments and victory in the Hyderabad WTA Tour event.
She also became the first Indian sportswoman to feature on the cover of the prestigious Time magazine.
As part of its popular Legends series, Ten Sports will telecast three half-hour programme featuring three of her thrilling victories during the year, as well as her own views on the matches and her career in general, a press release said here on Monday.
The programme, to be aired on Fridays, would include her breakthrough win against the then World No 7 and 2004 US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the Dubai Open, where she came back from 4-0 down in an enthralling encounter.
The series will also show her first and third round matches in the US Open, which made her the first Indian player to reach the fourth round of Grand Slam.
Sania jumps six places to No. 31
New Delhi: Sania Mirza has jumped six places to No. 31, according to WTA rankings list released on Monday.
Sania, who picked 311 points last week after reaching the semi-finals of the Japan Open in Tokyo last week, has a total of 966.50 points to her credit.
The 18-year-old had vanquished higher-ranked opponents including top seed Vera Zvonareva in the Tier III championship, but ran out of steam in the semis, losing to France’s Tatiana Golovin 2-6, 4-6.
In doubles too, she moved 14 places to reach 114 with 343.50 points after reaching the semi-finals with Israel’s Sahar Peer in Japan.
On the men’s side, Harsh Mankad moved seven places to No. 227 and remain the highest-ranked Indian.
In doubles, Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes fell one place each to 13th and 15th, respectively.
In men’s singles, Andy Roddick and Marat Safin moved up a place each to no. 3 and No. 4, respectively. Slipping two places to No. 5 was Lleyton Hewitt.
Ivan Ljubicic has moved up three spots to No. 13. Mario Ancic has climbed seven places and is now world No. 17.
Among women, Maria Sharapova led an unchanged top five, while Venus Williams moved one place up to No. 6. Mary Pierce took her place at No. 7 and Anastasia Myskina stayed at No. 12.
Sania, who picked 311 points last week after reaching the semi-finals of the Japan Open in Tokyo last week, has a total of 966.50 points to her credit.
The 18-year-old had vanquished higher-ranked opponents including top seed Vera Zvonareva in the Tier III championship, but ran out of steam in the semis, losing to France’s Tatiana Golovin 2-6, 4-6.
In doubles too, she moved 14 places to reach 114 with 343.50 points after reaching the semi-finals with Israel’s Sahar Peer in Japan.
On the men’s side, Harsh Mankad moved seven places to No. 227 and remain the highest-ranked Indian.
In doubles, Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes fell one place each to 13th and 15th, respectively.
In men’s singles, Andy Roddick and Marat Safin moved up a place each to no. 3 and No. 4, respectively. Slipping two places to No. 5 was Lleyton Hewitt.
Ivan Ljubicic has moved up three spots to No. 13. Mario Ancic has climbed seven places and is now world No. 17.
Among women, Maria Sharapova led an unchanged top five, while Venus Williams moved one place up to No. 6. Mary Pierce took her place at No. 7 and Anastasia Myskina stayed at No. 12.
'Pakistanis have no objection to modern tennis dress code'
Sania Mirza's dress code may have become a subject of debate in India but people in the neighbouring Pakistan have an open mind towards modern dress code of women tennis players, says a budding talent from that country.
"I am amazed. Even in Pakistan girls play lawn tennis wearing shorts. Inspite of being a Muslim country nobody raises objection. But here in India, the country for which Sania has already clinched glory, such objections were being raised," Ouratulin Ray, an upcoming tennis player from Pakistani Punjab told PTI here today.
Daughter of a Member of Parliament in Pakistan, who originally hails from a small village of Jalandhar district, Ray was in the city to participate in a tournament when she termed as "unfortunate" that Sania had to face opposition from Muslim organisations for her playing outfits.
"It is very unfortunate that some Muslim organisations raised objection on the Sania's wearing shorts during play. Instead of discouraging the Muslim eve, who has already shone her country's name, people should support her to achieve her goals in the game," she said.
"Every game possesses its own dress code so if one wants to compete at international level then she must have to follow the prescribed norms. It is not fair to issue 'fatwas' against for such things," she added.
Ray said Sania was a role model for Pakistani girls too and the most important thing was that a Muslim girl was playing tennis. "Sania is a shining star of Asian Tennis, she is equally popular with in the Pakistani lawn tennis players, it makes more significant that a Muslim girl is playing tennis," she said.
"In my country, earlier tennis was not a much trendy game. I too gripped the racket for the first time only two years ago.
"But now many tournaments are taking place and the game is gaining popularity, although one thing is certain even now the game is confined to the elite class only," she said while explaining the high-class status to the game in Pakistan.
"I am amazed. Even in Pakistan girls play lawn tennis wearing shorts. Inspite of being a Muslim country nobody raises objection. But here in India, the country for which Sania has already clinched glory, such objections were being raised," Ouratulin Ray, an upcoming tennis player from Pakistani Punjab told PTI here today.
Daughter of a Member of Parliament in Pakistan, who originally hails from a small village of Jalandhar district, Ray was in the city to participate in a tournament when she termed as "unfortunate" that Sania had to face opposition from Muslim organisations for her playing outfits.
"It is very unfortunate that some Muslim organisations raised objection on the Sania's wearing shorts during play. Instead of discouraging the Muslim eve, who has already shone her country's name, people should support her to achieve her goals in the game," she said.
"Every game possesses its own dress code so if one wants to compete at international level then she must have to follow the prescribed norms. It is not fair to issue 'fatwas' against for such things," she added.
Ray said Sania was a role model for Pakistani girls too and the most important thing was that a Muslim girl was playing tennis. "Sania is a shining star of Asian Tennis, she is equally popular with in the Pakistani lawn tennis players, it makes more significant that a Muslim girl is playing tennis," she said.
"In my country, earlier tennis was not a much trendy game. I too gripped the racket for the first time only two years ago.
"But now many tournaments are taking place and the game is gaining popularity, although one thing is certain even now the game is confined to the elite class only," she said while explaining the high-class status to the game in Pakistan.
Sania refuses Simbu’s offer.
Simbu was pretty talented to bring Mandira Bedi into Manmadhan. In Vallavan also, there will be many attractive women artists.
Three women artists are to act in this film. Simbu had announced in a magazine that he requested Sania Mirza to act in this film. She was approached as she is considered as one among the youngest icons of today.
It is now reported that Sania has refused this offer with the comment that her interest lies in tennis alone.
Three women artists are to act in this film. Simbu had announced in a magazine that he requested Sania Mirza to act in this film. She was approached as she is considered as one among the youngest icons of today.
It is now reported that Sania has refused this offer with the comment that her interest lies in tennis alone.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Sania shines in doubles
BANGKOK, Oct. 12. — Sania Mirza, teaming up with Sahar Peer of Israel, reached the second round in the doubles section of the $200,000 Thailand Open tennis after quashing the challenge of America’s Carly Gullickson and Abigali Spears in straight sets here today.
The unseeded Indo-Isareli pair breezed through the first set before overcoming a stiff resistance from the Americans in the second to carve out a 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) win.
Sania-Peer will now meet the winner of the match between the pairs of Saori Obata of Japan and Trudi Musgrave of Australia and Shinobu Asagoe of Japan and Gisela Dulko of Argentina.
Besides her exploits in singles, Sania has impressed in doubles competition as well, with her ranking shooting up to to a career-best 114 following her semi-final appearance, also with Sahar, at the Japan Open last week.
The 18-year-old Indian, whose show at the Japan Open elevated her to a career high ranking of 31, has already cleared the first round here in singles, getting the better of Henrieta Nagyova of Slovakia 6-1, 4-6, 6-0. She will play Meng Yuan of China, ranked 183, in the second round of the tournament.
If she puts up a creditable performance here, she can expect to be seeded at the season opening Australian Open Grand Slam next year.
The unseeded Indo-Isareli pair breezed through the first set before overcoming a stiff resistance from the Americans in the second to carve out a 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) win.
Sania-Peer will now meet the winner of the match between the pairs of Saori Obata of Japan and Trudi Musgrave of Australia and Shinobu Asagoe of Japan and Gisela Dulko of Argentina.
Besides her exploits in singles, Sania has impressed in doubles competition as well, with her ranking shooting up to to a career-best 114 following her semi-final appearance, also with Sahar, at the Japan Open last week.
The 18-year-old Indian, whose show at the Japan Open elevated her to a career high ranking of 31, has already cleared the first round here in singles, getting the better of Henrieta Nagyova of Slovakia 6-1, 4-6, 6-0. She will play Meng Yuan of China, ranked 183, in the second round of the tournament.
If she puts up a creditable performance here, she can expect to be seeded at the season opening Australian Open Grand Slam next year.
Monday, October 10, 2005
Sania satisfied despite semi-final loss in Japan
TOKYO - India’s teenage star Sania Mirza said on Saturday she was satisfied with her effort at the Japan Open, despite a straight-sets loss to France’s Tatiana Golovin in the semi-finals.
Trailing by a set and 0-5 in the second, Mirza fought off two match points to pull back to 4-5, but ran out of steam on her serve in the 10th game, falling to the French third seed, 6-2, 6-4.
“She (Golovin) was retrieving the balls so well. I started well, but then it got windy, and I think she adjusted to the conditions better than me. She was hitting winners and played a solid match,” said the 18-year-old Mirza.
“I don’t think I played bad. When I had two match points against me, I played like I had nothing to lose. I just wanted to get a game, and then I saw an opening.
“At 5-4, it could have gone either way, but then I made a couple of loose shots,” she added.
Mirza capitalized on a triple break point for 2-5 when rain halted play for 25 minutes, and she took the following two games when the match resumed.
But she went down 15-40 on her serve in the following game, finally surrendering the match after 68 minutes by hitting her forehand long.
“It’s been a great week -- semi-finals, singles and doubles. I hope to come back next year and do better,” said Mirza, who lost her doubles semi-final match with Shahar Peer of Israel on Friday.
“It’s always good to have a crowd behind you. It certainly pumps you up. I’m sorry if I let them down, but I’ll be back and hope to do better,” Mirza said.
Trailing by a set and 0-5 in the second, Mirza fought off two match points to pull back to 4-5, but ran out of steam on her serve in the 10th game, falling to the French third seed, 6-2, 6-4.
“She (Golovin) was retrieving the balls so well. I started well, but then it got windy, and I think she adjusted to the conditions better than me. She was hitting winners and played a solid match,” said the 18-year-old Mirza.
“I don’t think I played bad. When I had two match points against me, I played like I had nothing to lose. I just wanted to get a game, and then I saw an opening.
“At 5-4, it could have gone either way, but then I made a couple of loose shots,” she added.
Mirza capitalized on a triple break point for 2-5 when rain halted play for 25 minutes, and she took the following two games when the match resumed.
But she went down 15-40 on her serve in the following game, finally surrendering the match after 68 minutes by hitting her forehand long.
“It’s been a great week -- semi-finals, singles and doubles. I hope to come back next year and do better,” said Mirza, who lost her doubles semi-final match with Shahar Peer of Israel on Friday.
“It’s always good to have a crowd behind you. It certainly pumps you up. I’m sorry if I let them down, but I’ll be back and hope to do better,” Mirza said.
Federer’s coach to train Sania
Federer’s coach to train Sania
By - Anupam Pratihary
MUMBAI: Planning often proves crucial in athletes’ career. Sania Mirza’s meteoric rise has a lot to do with the meticulous planning of Team Sania. And the team already has a plan laid out for the next year. One among the many is to hire the services of legendary Tony Roche, currently Roger Federer’s coach.
Sania has already set her eyes on breaking into the top 10 next year. And first step in that direction will be one-month training under the famous Australian coach. In December, Sania will fly to Australia to train under Roche. “Discussion is still on to finalise the date for the training with Roche, though John Farrington will continue to be Sania’s travelling coach for the next year,” confirms Imran Mirza, father of Sania. The four-week training with Roche is likely to cost a whopping $10,000 per week. Farrington, with the help of detailed video analyses, has identified overall fitness, service and forward and backward movement as few of the areas that needs to be sharpened to take Sania’s game to the next level.
As Sania is carrying a few niggling injuries, next week’s $200,000 Thailand Open will be the last tournament for her this year. One month break thereafter is aimed at giving Sania’s tired body some much needed rest.
And that’s not all. It is likely that a fitness trainer will join Team Sania next year. “We have a plan to hire a trainer but nothing has been finalised so far,” says Mirza. With a fitter body and crucial inputs from none other than Roche, Sania will surely have the right ingredients to hunt down the high and mighty of the circuit. And more importantly a place amongst them.
By - Anupam Pratihary
MUMBAI: Planning often proves crucial in athletes’ career. Sania Mirza’s meteoric rise has a lot to do with the meticulous planning of Team Sania. And the team already has a plan laid out for the next year. One among the many is to hire the services of legendary Tony Roche, currently Roger Federer’s coach.
Sania has already set her eyes on breaking into the top 10 next year. And first step in that direction will be one-month training under the famous Australian coach. In December, Sania will fly to Australia to train under Roche. “Discussion is still on to finalise the date for the training with Roche, though John Farrington will continue to be Sania’s travelling coach for the next year,” confirms Imran Mirza, father of Sania. The four-week training with Roche is likely to cost a whopping $10,000 per week. Farrington, with the help of detailed video analyses, has identified overall fitness, service and forward and backward movement as few of the areas that needs to be sharpened to take Sania’s game to the next level.
As Sania is carrying a few niggling injuries, next week’s $200,000 Thailand Open will be the last tournament for her this year. One month break thereafter is aimed at giving Sania’s tired body some much needed rest.
And that’s not all. It is likely that a fitness trainer will join Team Sania next year. “We have a plan to hire a trainer but nothing has been finalised so far,” says Mirza. With a fitter body and crucial inputs from none other than Roche, Sania will surely have the right ingredients to hunt down the high and mighty of the circuit. And more importantly a place amongst them.
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Sania loses in AIG Japan Open semi-final
Saturday, October 8, 2005 (New Delhi):
Sania Mirza has lost in the semi-final of the US$ 170,000 AIG Japan Open Tennis Tournament today after losing 2-6, 4-6 to France's Tatiana Golovin.
Tatiana set up a summit clash with Czech Republic's Nicole Vaidisova who beat Russia'a Maria Kirilenko 6-4, 6-2.
The Indian tennis star made a brave comeback from 5-0 down in the second set after being swept away in the first but unforced errors once again came back to haunt her.
An off-colour Sania, who upset Vera Zvonareva of Russia in a thrilling three-setter yesterday, ran out of steam in the first set as the Frenchwoman breezed through the first set.
Sania fights back
Egged by the cheering crowd the 37-ranked Sania rallied from behind (5-0) to give a scare to her opponent in the second set.
Sania found her lethal power-packed forehand winners going and broke the 25-ranked Frenchwoman twice.
After the brief rain interruption with Tatiana leading 5-2, Sania pocketed the next two games but a few unforced errors on crucial points halted her progress.
Comfortable lead
Golovin took a comforatble 40-15 lead in the 10th game before Sania's wide backhand on the third matchpoint handed over the match to Tatiana.
"I don't think I played bad. When I had two match points against me, I played like I had nothing to lose. I just wanted to get a game, and then I saw an opening," said 18-year-old Mirza, the first Indian woman to win a WTA event.
"At 5-4, it could have gone either way, but then I made a couple of loose shots," she added.
"She (Golovin) was retrieving the balls so well. I started well, but then it got windy, and I think she adjusted to the conditions better than me. She was hitting winners and played a solid match."
Sania's forehand found a special mention by Tatiana
"She hits her forehand cross so hard that they are difficult to hit back. I had to play my own game and somehow she started to make unforced errors but that's how tennis goes."
Sania Mirza has lost in the semi-final of the US$ 170,000 AIG Japan Open Tennis Tournament today after losing 2-6, 4-6 to France's Tatiana Golovin.
Tatiana set up a summit clash with Czech Republic's Nicole Vaidisova who beat Russia'a Maria Kirilenko 6-4, 6-2.
The Indian tennis star made a brave comeback from 5-0 down in the second set after being swept away in the first but unforced errors once again came back to haunt her.
An off-colour Sania, who upset Vera Zvonareva of Russia in a thrilling three-setter yesterday, ran out of steam in the first set as the Frenchwoman breezed through the first set.
Sania fights back
Egged by the cheering crowd the 37-ranked Sania rallied from behind (5-0) to give a scare to her opponent in the second set.
Sania found her lethal power-packed forehand winners going and broke the 25-ranked Frenchwoman twice.
After the brief rain interruption with Tatiana leading 5-2, Sania pocketed the next two games but a few unforced errors on crucial points halted her progress.
Comfortable lead
Golovin took a comforatble 40-15 lead in the 10th game before Sania's wide backhand on the third matchpoint handed over the match to Tatiana.
"I don't think I played bad. When I had two match points against me, I played like I had nothing to lose. I just wanted to get a game, and then I saw an opening," said 18-year-old Mirza, the first Indian woman to win a WTA event.
"At 5-4, it could have gone either way, but then I made a couple of loose shots," she added.
"She (Golovin) was retrieving the balls so well. I started well, but then it got windy, and I think she adjusted to the conditions better than me. She was hitting winners and played a solid match."
Sania's forehand found a special mention by Tatiana
"She hits her forehand cross so hard that they are difficult to hit back. I had to play my own game and somehow she started to make unforced errors but that's how tennis goes."
Friday, October 07, 2005
Sania in semis, upsets top seed
New Delhi, October 7: Sania Mirza stormed into the semi-final of the USD 170,000 AIG Japan Open tennis championship today after upsetting the top seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia in a three-setter.Sania, seeded eight, fought her way back after losing the first set 5-7 against the 22-ranked Russian to wrap up the next two 6-2 6-4.
She will now meet the winner of the quarter final contest between third seed Tatiana Golovin of France and Japan's Ai Sugiyama, seeded fifth.
Sania Mirza had yesterday defeated Aiko Nakamura 6-1 6-4 in the second round while Zvonareva beat Shahar Peer of France 6-3 7-5 to make it to the last eight.In the doubles Sania, paired with Israel's Sahar Peer will meet second seed Gisela Dulko and Maria Kirilenko in the semifinals.
Sania and Peer had defeated the third seed pair of Tathiana Garbin and Nicole Pratt 6-2 6-1 to make it to the last four.
She will now meet the winner of the quarter final contest between third seed Tatiana Golovin of France and Japan's Ai Sugiyama, seeded fifth.
Sania Mirza had yesterday defeated Aiko Nakamura 6-1 6-4 in the second round while Zvonareva beat Shahar Peer of France 6-3 7-5 to make it to the last eight.In the doubles Sania, paired with Israel's Sahar Peer will meet second seed Gisela Dulko and Maria Kirilenko in the semifinals.
Sania and Peer had defeated the third seed pair of Tathiana Garbin and Nicole Pratt 6-2 6-1 to make it to the last four.
Sania seeks Oz' Tony Roche stint
Kolkata, October 6: She believes she is destined for greater glory and she believes Tony Roche can help her achieve it. If things go according to plan Sania Mirza could be training under the legendary Australian in Sydney before the year’s first Grand Slam gets underway in Melbourne.
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‘‘Talks are on with him but the details have not been finalised as yet’’, CGK Bhupathi of Globosport, Sania’s managers, told The Indian Express from Bangalore.
Roche, who’s been serving as a part-time coach to Roger Federer since the beginning of this year, hailed the Swiss as one of the all-time greats but identified a few areas where the world no 1 needed to work on his game. Federer, he said, needed to improve on his second serve and should serve and volley more.
And, the results are there for all to see. The Swiss won his third successive Wimbledon crown and a second straight US Open title this year.
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‘‘Talks are on with him but the details have not been finalised as yet’’, CGK Bhupathi of Globosport, Sania’s managers, told The Indian Express from Bangalore.
Roche, who’s been serving as a part-time coach to Roger Federer since the beginning of this year, hailed the Swiss as one of the all-time greats but identified a few areas where the world no 1 needed to work on his game. Federer, he said, needed to improve on his second serve and should serve and volley more.
And, the results are there for all to see. The Swiss won his third successive Wimbledon crown and a second straight US Open title this year.
Sania cruises into quarter-finals
India's Sania Mirza thrashed local hope Aiko Nakamura 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the quarter-finals of the Japan Open Tennis Championships, in Tokyo, on Thursday.
The 18-year-old eighth seed will next take on top seed Russian Vera Zvonareva for a place in the semi-finals. Zvonareva advanced to the last eight beating Israel's Shahar Peer 6-3, 7-5.
Sania's second round match was postponed due to heavy rain on Wednesday.
In her first round match, on Tuesday, she registered a crushing 6-1, 6-3 victory over Puerto Rico's Vilmarie Castellvi.
"I thought I played a good match. I had a solid start to the match in the first set. In the second set, she (Aiko) picked up her game, but I think I played well when it mattered on the important points," said Sania after the match.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Sania Mirza Talkasia Transcript
SB: Satinder Bindra
SM: Sania Mirza
BLOCK A
SB: Hello. And welcome to Talk Asia. I'm Satinder Bindra, sitting in for Lorraine Hahn. My guest today is Sania Mirza, Indian tennis star and a woman who carries the sporting hopes of more than a billion Indians.
In a country crazy about cricket, Sania Mirza stands out in more ways than one. She plays a game that is far less popular than cricket, she's a sports-woman and also a youth icon.
At 18, she's the highest-ranked woman tennis player ever from India. She's 42 in the W-T-A rankings and made it to the fourth round of the recently concluded U.S. Open. She's not won a singles title in a Grand Slam tournament yet, but India is now in the grips of Sania Mania.
SB: Sania Mirza joins me now to talk about her game and her growing popularity. How does it feel Sania. There's Sania-mania in India at the moment.
SM: Great, I think people are really excited obviously because they've never had a woman play at this level before. And it's really really nice to know that people are appreciating your efforts. And I think since we come from India where cricket is almost like a religion, I think it's very amazing to see how people are reacting as to a tennis player. And obviously it's very nice.
SB: Sania everybody's talking about the excitement, but I guess only you can tell me about the hard work, right?
SM: I think the whole family can tell you about the hard work. It's been a long way and it's been 13 years, it's been crazy, traveling and first traveling in India, traveling in a car, and going from Tevandrum to Ahmedebad, in a car, and it's been crazy. And even now traveling about 30 weeks a year, all the hard work, playing 365 days a year, 6 hours, 7 hours a day, it's tough to have your focus on. But you know, I guess whoever comes through all that comes out a winner and I'm hoping that I can continue doing what I'm doing.
SB: But you got something out of that. You're the highest ranked India's women's player.
SM: That's not very important for me. What's important is that at least I've made a beginning somewhere. I don't care if whether was the highest, who did it, who's going to do it. I just hope that 5 yers from now or 7 years from now, we have a lot more tennis players out there -- and not only one woman competing, that we have about 6 or 7 women from India competing.
SB: Tell us about your game. Everybody writes about the way in which you love to hit that ball. I watched you at practice this morning. Boy do you whack it.
SM: I've always been taught, even when I was 6, I used to always like to hit the ball when I was 7. I used to lose to like, everyone because sometimes my ball used to just hit the fence. I didn't care, but I loved hitting and I still do. I guess that's just the way I play. And it's fun, and I have fun out there every time I step out on court.
SB: Sania, while hitting the ball hard, you also make unforced errors. So are you going to change your game? Is it going to evolve or are we still going to see the same Sania?
SM: First of all, I don't understand how people expect me to hit the winners that I do and not make any unforced errors on them. So I think I'm human and I think everyone does that. Everyone makes unforced errors. But that's the way I play. And if they love watching me hit those winners, then they have to kind of accept that I do make unforced errors. But I'm going to try to cut them. But it's not as easy as said. There's a lot of hard work that goes into it. I've been playing like this for a long time. It takes time, I'm working on it, but I guess the critics will have to kind of bear with me for a few more months.
SB: I guess what they're saying is you should play more percentage tennis.
SM: I think it's a power game now. And if I start playing percentage tennis, then I don't think I would be Top 40 in the world.
SB: So you're going to continue with your game?
SM: I mean obviously I have to take risks, you have to take risks even if I'm down match point, I like going for a winner, and I've won a lot of matches being down 5-1 in the 3rd set at match point and I've won it. That's just the way I play, and I love it. I enjoy every ball that I hit.
SB: What about those who say your first serve's not quite there and that you need to work on your fitness? Is it criticism that you readily accept or is this unfair?
SM: Of course I accept it. No tennis player is perfect. Even if you're world #1, I don't think, you still have things to improve on, and I'm not even close to that. So I am going to have weaknesses in my game, I am going to have strengths in my game but I still have time to develop a lot of things, hopefully, and we'll see how it goes. But it's just that I think people should appreciate right now what I am doing rather than taking things out of my game and saying she doesn't know how to serve , she doesn't know how to run, so.
SB: Your fans. Are they inspiring you or are they in some ways, now that there are so many of them, now putting pressure on you?
SM: Pressure's always been there. It's just that now every time I step on court there are a billion people watching me play and probably more outside India, and wanting me to win every point, every match that I play. But I guess that's just the way it is. Of course I love all my fans and I love the fact that they appreciate all my efforts and I really really like to have them around me. But it's just humanly not possible to kind of win every match tat I play.
SB: What does it feel like to have a billion plus people rooting for you as you just described?
SM: Unbelievable. I mean, it's something I think everyone can dream of, that so many people praying for you, so many people rooting for you every time, you're just playing the sport.
SB: How hard is the physical grind when you play top level tennis? Or is it just mental?
SM: It's both. Travelling 30 weeks a year, leaving your home, leaving your family. I'm lucky one of my parents always travel with me. But you know, staying away from your country, you know, there are a lot of little things that people don't even think of and it gets to you after awhile. It's mentally draining and you get stressed out. But that's just the way it is. There are a lot of sacrifices that you make to achieve anything in life, not only be what you want to be in a sport like tennis. But I've learnt that you have to face it, I am going to be away from home, physically I am going to be injured -- I think in the past 2 years, I don't remember a day when I woke up and said oh, some thing's not hurting. I have had some pain or other every single day but that's how I've learnt to accept it. That's how my body is going to feel. Even though I'm 18, it feels like much older than 18. But that's just the way it is.
SB: Wait a minute. Are you saying you're physically burnt at 18?
SM: I'm not burnt but I'm injured, and everyone's injured. All the 164 players in the draw in the grand slam, I see them in the physio room, we literally live there! So it's just a question of who stays fitter and I think they'll come out the better player.
SB: What would you like to say to amateur tennis players like myself who watch you? Any guidance?
SM: I don't think I'm old enough or experienced enough to give anyone any guidance. All I would like say is that as long as you're having fun, I think you're doing the right thing.
SB: We have to take a break, but coming up, Sania Mirza's fashion statements and how they gel with her upbringing as a devout Muslim.
BLOCK B
SB: Welcome back to Talk Asia. I'm with India's tennis sensation Sania Mirza. Sania, how does it feel to you when some clergymen issue a fatwa against you because of the way you dress?
SM: I don't think I want to comment on any religion or the way I dress because I just think everyone makes mistakes and that does not mean that I'm not Muslim. Maybe I'm wrong, I'm not justifying, but I don't think I want to comment on anything else.
SB: What you're trying to say is you have your own way, your own style when you walk on the court. Tell us about that. What does it mean to you when you go out on the court dressed the way you feel?
SM: When I go out on court I don't care what I look like. I don't care if I'm out of my bed as long as I win the match, and that's what I'm there for. It doesn't matter what I'm wearing, it doesn't matter what I look, it doesn't matter what my hair feels like. All I feel is the moment I have to play well, give my 100% and win the match. That's what you're there for.
SB: It bothers you Sania does it not, because the way you responded. You feel it's your own personal space and people are intervening there.
SM: I think that's something I've gotten to accept, when you do become a popular figure, people are going to scrutinize everything that you do, everything that you say. They're going to analyze every sentence of yours, and everything that you wear -- you change an earring they're going to know, you change your hairstyle they're going to know, that's just the way it is, you know?
SB: How fair is that Sania, really because, I mean?
SM: Well I'm not the only one in the world, that's how I look at it. That's the amount of respect I have for all the sports persons and all the people in the public eye all the time. It is only, one of the reasons is because, the amount of questions we've been asked about ourselves, about our personal lives, it is, you know, people don't even think or imagine how we feel to be answering questions like that. But that's just the way it is, and there's not much you can do about it, it's not in my control.
SB: Well, I'm going to have to ask you this. You do wear tee shirts that you like. And in fact, once you wore a t-shirt which said that quote: "Polite women don't make history." What were you trying to say?
SM: I don't need to wear anything to say anything. I have a mouth and I can speak up for myself but I'd wear them because I like wearing T-shirts and I like being 18 sometimes. But if people want to scrutinize that too, then there's not much I can do, it's not in my control. But if I need to make a statement, I'm going to say it; I don't need to wear it.
SB: But your style. It tells people something about you. Some people say it spells attitude. Others say perhaps its self-confidence. Can you tell us?
SM: Everyone has attitude and I think everyone should have attitude. But I know I have attitude but that's just, I think if you don't have attitude it comes only with self confidence. So if you don't have self confidence, you won't have attitude and I think there's a difference when you have attitude and when you have arrogance. And arrogance is very different. I don't think I'm arrogant, I'm not denying I have attitude.
SB: Sania, when everyone talks about you as the tennis player, does Sania the person the individual feel left out? Tell your fans what sort of makes you tick.
SM: No, it doesn't. I think what I am on court, that's my personality. I am like you said I'm confident, I'm aggressive, and I think even on court you can see that. And I like taking risks in life and I like taking risks on the court, so it kind of does bring out my personality. So not at all, I don't feel left out at all.
SB: But otherwise, are you like any other 18 year old? You like hip-hop, you have certain idols? Or does tennis take all of that away from you?
SM: No, I'm still, I'm 18, I'm still a normal human being. Just because I'm a tennis player doesn't make me, maybe I've seen a bit more than what I should have at 18, and I've probably matured much faster than I should have, but I'm still 18, I like going to coffee shops, I like going and sitting with my friends. It's a different issue that I can't do it, but I like doing it.
SB: Why can't you do it?
SM: Because, I can do it, but it's weird for me to be conscious of myself because I know that there's not one point of time that there's no one looking at me. I'm pretty sure there are a lot of people looking at me, all the time, every time. So I'd rather sit at home and probably catch a movie or something with my friends. But I love hanging out, going out for lunches, dinners. I'm not a party person, but just basic stuff. I like sitting at Barrista, I like, that's the coffee shop, I like wearing jeans, I like wearing torn jeans and I like hip hop, and I like listening to music. It's just I can't do it all the time, that's the only difference.
SB: You're very modern. But Sania, you're also very devout?
SM: Yeah, I am religious. I come from a very conservative family. I come from a religious background; I come from a cultural city, so, (SB: Hyderbad?) yeah, Hyderabad. And I am modern, yes, but I'm also religious. I pray 5 times a day, and I read the Koran, and I do at least all the basic things that a Muslim is supposed to do.
SB: You do a lot of things, Sania. Or one of things you also do Sania is you're an ambassador for gender-equality. When we're talking of our practice in India of female-feticide, many people are when they find out, or many women when they find out that they are carrying a girl child they abort the fetus, and that's been going on in India for a long time.
SM: Yes that has been but it's going to take time to change, and I'm just trying to help in whatever little way I can. Just want people to know that, and to realize that having a girl is not that bad. My parents have 2 girls, one of them is over (SB: and look at you!) You know, and my sister is into shooting and they've never treated us, in any, they wanted a boy or anything like that. So it's something we all need to try and kind of convince the layman, and it's going to take time.
SB: What are you doing to convince them Sania on a day to day basis?
SM: On a day to day basis, it's very tough for me to go and give speeches in villages and stuff. First of all I don't think I'm old enough nor do I think I really have that much of time for me to go to places, but if I'm ever giving interviews, or if I'm ever coming across people, I'm always trying to spread the message. And I hope that, I think even if I save one girl child by doing that, and just by people looking at me and saying, you know maybe our girl can be like this, I think I'll feel lucky enough to help someone.
SB: So, in that sense, if you become a role model, you'll be very happy about that.
SM: Yeah, definitely, I want people, I mean if I can inspire them in whatever way, I think I'd feel very lucky.
SB: Another short break, then a look at Sania Mirza as youth icon.
BLOCK C
SB: Welcome back. I'm talking to Sania Mirza, tennis star and an idol for millions of young Indians. How do they show their affection for you, Sania?
SM: I get a lot of letters at home. Unfortunately I don't have the time to reply to all the letters, but whatever I can. I get a lot of letters, a lot of phone calls at home, get some emails. So I think that's the best way for them to reach out to me. And they just show their love and affection that way.
SB: With your fame has come a lot of commercialism as well. Sania Mirza is now a brand. Some of your endorsements are high, very high, in fact. And amongst all the sports people in India, probably you make you know the second largest amount of money. Did you ever imagine that you could do that in a country where cricket is so so huge?
SM: Well, first of all, the prices and the amount that comes in the papers, I don't think that's all true. Secondly, if I'm doing about 36 ads which they claim I'm doing, then I'm making the amount of money and the most amount of money, then I'd be a billionaire, probably with a palace. But that's not happening. I've done about 4 or 5 commercials now, and I'm really thankful to God that I've got whatever I have but trust me, I'm not a billionaire yet.
SB: But will you continue to do commercials? Because some people would say that you know, at this age the focus should be on the game rather than on commercials. Where do you stand on that?
SM: First of all I don't care what some people say because everyone says something or the other. And it doesn't matter to me as long as the people I know and I care for are with me in what I'm doing. A lot of people said in January when I signed up all those endorsements that that was it, it was a fluke, and I just came out of nowhere and I'm going to disappear like a lot people. Obviously a lot of them have been proven wrong. Just because anyone does commercials does not mean they are getting distracted. I think as sportspersons we know our priorities, and the day I feel myself that a commercial is coming in the way of my practice, that'll be the last time I'll be dealing with them. So you know, it's just a lot of people don't know a lot of the inside stuff that goes on in our lives, but that's just the way it is.
SB: Tell me Sania what is important to you? Is it fame, is it fortune, or is it the pride to go out and win? If you had to put these things in priority, where and how would you rank them?
SM: I've never to be honest, even when you know when I started off; we never knew what I was going to be. It was a risk and we were taking it. Secondly, I've never played for the fame or the money, and I've never even today, I play because I love the game and you know, I have a passion for the game. It's not because I'm going to give an interview just after I play a practice or a match. So, fame definitely stands last in that priority list. I think the pride to go out there and win for your country, and for yourself and for your family, I think that's what stands first. And there is nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing equal to that.
SB: What's the future holding for you or do you think about it at all because you've got so much on your plate every single day?
SM: I don't know, I don't know what tomorrow's holding for me, forget the future. I don't know what's going to happen 5 years from now, don't know what's going to happen a year from now. All I want to do is enjoy the moment and I'm living every moment and I'm very happy to be living a life like this.
SB: But if you had to wish for something both in your tennis career or perhaps even outside of it - and all of us have our wishes and prayers, share them with us if you can.
SM: I'd like a Ferrari now. (SB: what color would you like?) Red! (SB: Why red?) It's my favorite colour. No, to be honest, the way things have gone for me, I know this sounds very very, it sounds very patent but I think my life is perfect right now. I have the best parents, I have fans, I have people, I have the best of friends, I have my family, I have my sister, I have everything in my life. I have a lot of special people and a lot of special things and I don't think I can ask for more.
Thanks very much Sania. That's it for Talk Asia this week. I'm Satinder Bindra in Hyderabad. Thanks very much for watching.
Sania Mirza got off to winning start at the Japan Open
The eighth seed, making her senior debut in Japan, broke Castellvi in the first game and cruised to victory with a succession of angled winners from the back of the court.
"Great," said the 18-year-old from Mumbai. "I played a good match, I got to play two good matches today. I''m hitting the ball good and I like the court. Hopefully, I can continue the way I''m playing."
Mirza started to hit the corners midway through the first set, and although she went off the boil at the beginning of the second, she steadied herself to finish the match in 59 minutes.
"As a tennis player, I''m bound to make a mistake, I''m bound to lose a game, I''m bound to hit some good shots and I''m bound to make some errors, so that's human," said Mirza, who has generated huge media interest in her native country.
"I don''t think anyone expect anyone to play perfect tennis all the time." In the second round, Mirza will take on Japan's Aiko Nakamura, who eliminated 2004 runner-up American Mashona Washington 6-7 (6/8), 6-1, 6-1. It was a long day for Mirza, who also teamed up with Israel's Shahar Peer to beat American doubles pair Jill Craybas and Carly Gullickson 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. Other women's seeds went through safely, although sixth seed Gisela Dulko of Argentina needed three sets to beat qualifier Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan 2-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Fourth seed Maria Kirilenko of Russia, fresh from her first career title at the China Open two weeks ago, denied 15-year-old Japanese Ayumi Morita on her professional debut with a 6-4, 6-4 win. Top seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia fended off Catalina Castano of Colombia 6-2, 7-6 (7/4), while Japan's Ai Sugiyama, the fifth seed, defeated Alina Jidkova of Russia 6-1, 7-6 (7/5). Three men's seeds -- American Vincent Spadea, the Czech Republic's Ivo Minar and Robin Vik -- fell in the second round.
Eighth seed Spadea bowed to Bjorn Phau of Germany 6-4, 7-5, Minar, the 14th seed, went down to Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus 6-4, 6-2, while 15th seed Vik crashed to American Kevin Kim 6-2, 6-4.
"Great," said the 18-year-old from Mumbai. "I played a good match, I got to play two good matches today. I''m hitting the ball good and I like the court. Hopefully, I can continue the way I''m playing."
Mirza started to hit the corners midway through the first set, and although she went off the boil at the beginning of the second, she steadied herself to finish the match in 59 minutes.
"As a tennis player, I''m bound to make a mistake, I''m bound to lose a game, I''m bound to hit some good shots and I''m bound to make some errors, so that's human," said Mirza, who has generated huge media interest in her native country.
"I don''t think anyone expect anyone to play perfect tennis all the time." In the second round, Mirza will take on Japan's Aiko Nakamura, who eliminated 2004 runner-up American Mashona Washington 6-7 (6/8), 6-1, 6-1. It was a long day for Mirza, who also teamed up with Israel's Shahar Peer to beat American doubles pair Jill Craybas and Carly Gullickson 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. Other women's seeds went through safely, although sixth seed Gisela Dulko of Argentina needed three sets to beat qualifier Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan 2-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Fourth seed Maria Kirilenko of Russia, fresh from her first career title at the China Open two weeks ago, denied 15-year-old Japanese Ayumi Morita on her professional debut with a 6-4, 6-4 win. Top seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia fended off Catalina Castano of Colombia 6-2, 7-6 (7/4), while Japan's Ai Sugiyama, the fifth seed, defeated Alina Jidkova of Russia 6-1, 7-6 (7/5). Three men's seeds -- American Vincent Spadea, the Czech Republic's Ivo Minar and Robin Vik -- fell in the second round.
Eighth seed Spadea bowed to Bjorn Phau of Germany 6-4, 7-5, Minar, the 14th seed, went down to Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus 6-4, 6-2, while 15th seed Vik crashed to American Kevin Kim 6-2, 6-4.
Monday, October 03, 2005
Sania to open against qualifier
After a shocking second-round exit from the Sunfeast Open, India's Sania Mirza will begin her campaign at the Japan Open, in Tokyo, against qualifier Vilmarie Castellvi of Puerto Rico on Monday.
"I've never played at senior level in Japan, but I've been to Osaka twice and to Nagoya twice in the juniors. I've always played well in Japan. I'm looking forward to a great week," said the 18-year-old, who captured a junior doubles title in the tournament in 2003.
After just two years from turning professional, Sania has rewritten women's tennis history in India. She became the first Indian to claim a WTA title when she won the Hyderabad Open earlier this year.
Her sensational run at the Australian and the US Open made her the first Indian woman to reach the third and fourth rounds respectively.
Beginning the week ranked world number 37, Sania said the results have come earlier than expected.
"I got the opportunities and I just grabbed them with both hands. I played some good tennis when it really mattered," she said.
"Everytime I step on court, I'm not thinking about making history. I'm there because I want to be there, give my best and play for my country.
"I just hope that five or six years from now, we will have a lot more women tennis players from India. It's really nice that people are taking an interest in tennis, especially when we come from a cricketing country," she said.
"I've never played at senior level in Japan, but I've been to Osaka twice and to Nagoya twice in the juniors. I've always played well in Japan. I'm looking forward to a great week," said the 18-year-old, who captured a junior doubles title in the tournament in 2003.
After just two years from turning professional, Sania has rewritten women's tennis history in India. She became the first Indian to claim a WTA title when she won the Hyderabad Open earlier this year.
Her sensational run at the Australian and the US Open made her the first Indian woman to reach the third and fourth rounds respectively.
Beginning the week ranked world number 37, Sania said the results have come earlier than expected.
"I got the opportunities and I just grabbed them with both hands. I played some good tennis when it really mattered," she said.
"Everytime I step on court, I'm not thinking about making history. I'm there because I want to be there, give my best and play for my country.
"I just hope that five or six years from now, we will have a lot more women tennis players from India. It's really nice that people are taking an interest in tennis, especially when we come from a cricketing country," she said.
Sania retains 37th in singles, moves up in doubles
High after becoming the first Indian sportswoman to feature in the cover page of The Time magazine, Indian Tennis icon Sania Mirza retained her 37th place in singles while moving up to her career-best 128th in doubles, according to the latest WTA rankings announced on Monday.
Sania, who has been included among the 2005 Asian heroes in the Time magazine's latest issue, had reached her career best ranking of 34th after she made it to the pre quarter-finals in the US Open.
She clung to it even after her first round exit from the Wismilak Open in Bali, but slipped to 37th in the last rankings after she lost in second round of the Sunfeast Open in Kolkata.Sania is seeded eighth in the 170,000 dollar AIG Open in Tokyo which starts today. She will also play in Thailand Open starting October 10.
In the doubles rankings, Sania is now ranked at an all time high of 128th moving one place up from last week's ranking, which was aided by her semi-final appearance in the Sunfeast Open, partnering Virginia Ruano Pascual.
Among other Indians, US-based Shikha Uberoi moved down to 146th slot from last week's 139th in the singles rankings while her sister Neha did the same slipping down nine places from 263rd to be at 272nd, according to information received here.
However, the sisters' poor show in the singles was compensated by career-high rankings in doubles. While Neha moved up to best-ever 134th ranking from last week's 188th, Shikha moved up to her best-ever 155th from 208th.
Another Indian Rushmi Chakravarthi also moved up one place to be on the 425th position in the singles.
Sanaa Bhambri stood at 479th position moving 10 ten places down from last week while her sister Ankita noe stood at 504th, six places down from last week's 498th.
Sania, who has been included among the 2005 Asian heroes in the Time magazine's latest issue, had reached her career best ranking of 34th after she made it to the pre quarter-finals in the US Open.
She clung to it even after her first round exit from the Wismilak Open in Bali, but slipped to 37th in the last rankings after she lost in second round of the Sunfeast Open in Kolkata.Sania is seeded eighth in the 170,000 dollar AIG Open in Tokyo which starts today. She will also play in Thailand Open starting October 10.
In the doubles rankings, Sania is now ranked at an all time high of 128th moving one place up from last week's ranking, which was aided by her semi-final appearance in the Sunfeast Open, partnering Virginia Ruano Pascual.
Among other Indians, US-based Shikha Uberoi moved down to 146th slot from last week's 139th in the singles rankings while her sister Neha did the same slipping down nine places from 263rd to be at 272nd, according to information received here.
However, the sisters' poor show in the singles was compensated by career-high rankings in doubles. While Neha moved up to best-ever 134th ranking from last week's 188th, Shikha moved up to her best-ever 155th from 208th.
Another Indian Rushmi Chakravarthi also moved up one place to be on the 425th position in the singles.
Sanaa Bhambri stood at 479th position moving 10 ten places down from last week while her sister Ankita noe stood at 504th, six places down from last week's 498th.
Sania Mirza in Time 2005 Asia heroes list
NEW DELHI — In another ace for the teenage tennis icon, Sania Mirza became the first Indian sportsperson to feature on the cover of Time magazine and is being included in its 2005 list of Asia's heroes.
In the list of heroes, Sania shares the space with Chinese actress Zhang Jingchu, South Korean footballer Park Ji Sung and Japan's Ken Watanbe.
The tennis star, who has been described by the magazine as a role model for women in the country and the fastest rising star in the sport this year, features on the cover of the special issue of the magazine which would hit the stands tomorrow.
First Indian to break into the top 50 WTA ranking, Sania is writing a page of Indian tennis history. She also became the first Indian woman to win a WTA tourney.
In the list of heroes, Sania shares the space with Chinese actress Zhang Jingchu, South Korean footballer Park Ji Sung and Japan's Ken Watanbe.
The tennis star, who has been described by the magazine as a role model for women in the country and the fastest rising star in the sport this year, features on the cover of the special issue of the magazine which would hit the stands tomorrow.
First Indian to break into the top 50 WTA ranking, Sania is writing a page of Indian tennis history. She also became the first Indian woman to win a WTA tourney.
Now, Sania's signature styleAdd to Clippings
NEW DELHI: Dress code or no, Sania Mirza isn't skirting the issue. The 18-year-old tennis star will soon become the first Indian woman sportsperson to have a signature line of clothing.
Lotto, Sania's sponsors, are busy designing the collection they intend to launch in the first week of December. Says B D Nathani, V-P of Sierra Industrial Enterprises — the official licensee for Lotto in India: "Sania has a definite style that we want to incorporate in the collection which will comprise western wear with Indian sensibilities."
The line will include tennis apparel, fashion wear as well as formal attire targeted at youth between the age group of 15 and 25. Anirban Das Blah, vicepresident (sales & marketing) of Globosport — which manages Sania 6 adds: "International tennis stars — from Boris Becker to Martina Navratilova — have endorsed Lotto but not one can boast of a signature line."
Kavita Bhupathi of Globosport explained that Sania would be personally involved with the designs which "are a blend of Lotto's creativity and Sania's sensibilities."
Expecting a good response to the Sania Mirza label, the company plans to open more retail stores by December.
Lotto also intends to branch out to Vadodara, Bhubaneswar, Ranchi, Guwahati and Shillong. Delhi will have two more stores in Lajpat Nagar and Noida, in addition to the ones in Gurgaon and Noida.
The Sania line will also be stocked in MBOs (multi brand outlets) across the country.
Now, Sania's signature styleAdd to Clippings
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Can Roche rectify Sania's serve?
http://www.hindu.com/2005/10/02/stories/2005100206401800.htm
V. V. Subrahmanyam
# The objective is to try and improve her serve.
# Efforts are also on to engage a full-fledged support team.
USEFUL INPUTS: Coach John Farrington has added a new dimension to Sania's game, the sliced backhand, which has helped her a lot.
HYDERABAD: : If everything goes according to plan, the legendary Tony Roche, now coach of Roger Federer, may well guide the destiny of tennis sensation Sania Mirza for the next one year.
According to a tentative schedule, the famous Australian may train Sania in Sydney for about three weeks before the first Grand Slam of 2006 — the Australian Open. Sania's think tank believes that John Farrington, currently her travelling coach, is doing an adequate job and will continue to be part of the preparations at least till the Australian event.
However, since Sania now feels that she has a realistic chance to inch closer to the top 10, this move seemed inevitable.
Roche is being sounded for the undoubtedly expensive assignment (it is roughly estimated that it would cost about $10,000 per week) is to mainly improve upon Sania's serves. The decision to hire Roche was taken after the think tank analysed Sania's game immediately after the US Open through extensive study of video footage and came to the conclusion that her serve is the weakest link in her game.
Farrington's contribution
Italy-based Bob Brett, in whose academy Sania has been training of and on, has helped her make a dramatic improvement in her physical conditioning and the acquisition of a lethal backhand. The sliced backhand a new weapon in her armoury could be attributed to John Farrington's efforts. The travelling coach also closely monitors her diet to help her perform at her optimum level.
If Sania can scale heights despite her predominantly weak serve, Tony Roche may well make the ultimate difference in the final analysis.
Now efforts are also on to engage a full support team for Sania, over the next two years. This will include a physical trainer, travelling coach, psychologist and anyone else deemed imperative to obtain better results.
Sania will take a break from the sport for one month after the next two majors — the AIG Open in Tokyo and the Bangkok WTA in the space of the next fortnight.
V. V. Subrahmanyam
# The objective is to try and improve her serve.
# Efforts are also on to engage a full-fledged support team.
USEFUL INPUTS: Coach John Farrington has added a new dimension to Sania's game, the sliced backhand, which has helped her a lot.
HYDERABAD: : If everything goes according to plan, the legendary Tony Roche, now coach of Roger Federer, may well guide the destiny of tennis sensation Sania Mirza for the next one year.
According to a tentative schedule, the famous Australian may train Sania in Sydney for about three weeks before the first Grand Slam of 2006 — the Australian Open. Sania's think tank believes that John Farrington, currently her travelling coach, is doing an adequate job and will continue to be part of the preparations at least till the Australian event.
However, since Sania now feels that she has a realistic chance to inch closer to the top 10, this move seemed inevitable.
Roche is being sounded for the undoubtedly expensive assignment (it is roughly estimated that it would cost about $10,000 per week) is to mainly improve upon Sania's serves. The decision to hire Roche was taken after the think tank analysed Sania's game immediately after the US Open through extensive study of video footage and came to the conclusion that her serve is the weakest link in her game.
Farrington's contribution
Italy-based Bob Brett, in whose academy Sania has been training of and on, has helped her make a dramatic improvement in her physical conditioning and the acquisition of a lethal backhand. The sliced backhand a new weapon in her armoury could be attributed to John Farrington's efforts. The travelling coach also closely monitors her diet to help her perform at her optimum level.
If Sania can scale heights despite her predominantly weak serve, Tony Roche may well make the ultimate difference in the final analysis.
Now efforts are also on to engage a full support team for Sania, over the next two years. This will include a physical trainer, travelling coach, psychologist and anyone else deemed imperative to obtain better results.
Sania will take a break from the sport for one month after the next two majors — the AIG Open in Tokyo and the Bangkok WTA in the space of the next fortnight.
Sania likes red hot Ferrari
At 18, she’s just got her learner’s licence. And is as confident about her wheel power on the tarmac as she is about her will power in the tennis court. “I think I am a good driver,” she says, adding, a trifle bashfully “I don’t know what my parents think about my driving, but I have not banged the car even once so I must be pretty okay.”
As much a style icon as she is a sports ideal, Sania goes for the killer combo of cool comfort in her dream vehicle. “Since I don’t drive too much, what I look for is a comfortable car; one that takes me from one place to another,” she says. “So what I go for in a car is primarily comfort and looks. I like sleek cars but I also prefer cars that offer rear seat comfort. I don’t go for one at the cost of the other.”
That’s also why, she won’t green signal a convertible even though she thinks they are “really cool.” For Indian weather she prefers something more comfortably stylish. Read: A Mercedes Benz E-Class Kompressor which will soon grace her garage. But ask her about her dream car and her eyes light up: “My dream car is a Ferrari of course. It has to be a Modena and it has to be blood red.” The colour consciousness shows up even when she is choosing a car for herself. Nothing too loud or funky. Nothing that screams bling bling. “I am pretty sober in my tastes so I would opt for either black or red when buying a car.” says Sania. “And I wouldn’t want to jazz it up with gizmos or stickers either. I would like a simple car. Nothing too jazzy or funky.”
As for motor sports, Sania tries to catch the action when she can though she does admit that her schedule leaves her with very little time for anything else. Her favourite F1 star, though, is Michael Schumacher. Reason: Consistency. “I do cheer for Narain Karthikeyan because he is the only Indian on the circuit but Schumacher is my favourite. Even if I miss the action for a couple of weeks, when I come back I see that he’s still winning. As a sports person that’s a quality I admire,” Sania says.
What she also shares with her Ferrari hero is the ability to handle pressure. Both in court and outside. “Of course there’s pressure,” she says. Everytime you step into court there’s a billion people wanting you to win. But success teaches you how to face that pressure. You know people expect a lot and sometimes they expect stuff that you can’t deliver. But it’s an added motivation all the same. Because I know that they are always behind me, because I know I have their support, it motivates me to give it my best shot,” she says.
For Hyundai, Sania’s brand presence will add “zest and youth” to the Getz. “She was a natural choice, being trendy, youthful, dynamic and global,” says BVR Subbu, president, Hyundai Motor India. The new brand ambassador, he said, would also help the company focus on “young, lady drivers,” he said. Sania’s response: “It’s an honour and I do hope we can continue this relationship for a very long time.”
As much a style icon as she is a sports ideal, Sania goes for the killer combo of cool comfort in her dream vehicle. “Since I don’t drive too much, what I look for is a comfortable car; one that takes me from one place to another,” she says. “So what I go for in a car is primarily comfort and looks. I like sleek cars but I also prefer cars that offer rear seat comfort. I don’t go for one at the cost of the other.”
That’s also why, she won’t green signal a convertible even though she thinks they are “really cool.” For Indian weather she prefers something more comfortably stylish. Read: A Mercedes Benz E-Class Kompressor which will soon grace her garage. But ask her about her dream car and her eyes light up: “My dream car is a Ferrari of course. It has to be a Modena and it has to be blood red.” The colour consciousness shows up even when she is choosing a car for herself. Nothing too loud or funky. Nothing that screams bling bling. “I am pretty sober in my tastes so I would opt for either black or red when buying a car.” says Sania. “And I wouldn’t want to jazz it up with gizmos or stickers either. I would like a simple car. Nothing too jazzy or funky.”
As for motor sports, Sania tries to catch the action when she can though she does admit that her schedule leaves her with very little time for anything else. Her favourite F1 star, though, is Michael Schumacher. Reason: Consistency. “I do cheer for Narain Karthikeyan because he is the only Indian on the circuit but Schumacher is my favourite. Even if I miss the action for a couple of weeks, when I come back I see that he’s still winning. As a sports person that’s a quality I admire,” Sania says.
What she also shares with her Ferrari hero is the ability to handle pressure. Both in court and outside. “Of course there’s pressure,” she says. Everytime you step into court there’s a billion people wanting you to win. But success teaches you how to face that pressure. You know people expect a lot and sometimes they expect stuff that you can’t deliver. But it’s an added motivation all the same. Because I know that they are always behind me, because I know I have their support, it motivates me to give it my best shot,” she says.
For Hyundai, Sania’s brand presence will add “zest and youth” to the Getz. “She was a natural choice, being trendy, youthful, dynamic and global,” says BVR Subbu, president, Hyundai Motor India. The new brand ambassador, he said, would also help the company focus on “young, lady drivers,” he said. Sania’s response: “It’s an honour and I do hope we can continue this relationship for a very long time.”
India's rising tennis star Sania Mirza is hoping her successful season will continue this week at the Japan Open in Tokyo.(AFP/File/Deshakalyan Chowdhury)
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