‘Sania deserves all the attention’

Bikash Mohapatra

Friday, September 22, 2006 23:50 IST

KOLKATA: Sania Mirza is definitely getting more than her share of coverage in the media and there’re no two ways about it. Whether she deserves this much attention or not is a different question altogether.

And the other Indian players, who’re always at the receiving end and have to face media apathy, have spared no occasion in showing their dislike for this particular phenomenon.

To be fair to them, they do have a point but lack the results to validate it. However, this category never included Shikha Uberoi, the second highest ranked Indian on the WTA Tour. She had even categorically stated earlier that she had no problems whatsoever with the kind of publicity given to her compatriot.

So, it’s a tad difficult to digest the reports doing the rounds at the Sunfeast Open that Shikha had joined the bandwagon and claimed that the media’s undue importance given to Sania is affecting the performance of other Indian players.
However, Shikha seems completely clueless when asked about the “reported statements” that she has made during the tournament.

“Where did you hear this?” she asks, and then goes on to offer her clarification. “I never made such statements. I still stand by whatever I had said earlier and have no problems with her (Sania) getting the publicity that she does.” The Fed Cup player even believes that her more illustrious companion deserves all the attention. “She definitely has the results,” Shikha reasons.

But what about her own performance? Especially her great run of results last year when she made the singles quarterfinal and the doubles final. “I’m obviously disappointed but I didn’t prepare hard enough,” she admits.

Shikha lost in the opening round of the singles but then raised hopes in the doubles — with makeshift partner Hungarian Melinda Czink — by beating second seeds Anastasia Rodionova and Nicole Pratt. However, the duo was forced to withdraw on Friday after a viral infection affected the Hungarian.

“She was fit during the last match but got sick last night. I hope she gets well soon,” she says. But didn’t Shikha miss her sister/doubles partner Neha this year? “Yes, I did,” she admits.