Sania Mirza will take on Italian Alberta Brianti in her opening singles match of the French Open in Paris starting Sunday.
The Indian ace, who returned to action a fortnight ago from 2-1/2 months' lay-off following a knee injury, would run into seventh seed Ana Ivanovic of Serbia if she manages to clear the first hurdle.Alberta Brianti is not a famous player but Sania lost to her once in the past. So, Sania will be keen to take revenge. They have only played once. I am just worried for the bad form in singles of Sania Mirza. I hope that she can find her rhythm in French Open 2007.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Wimbledon 2007: Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi
India's tennis sensation Sania Mirza is hoping to partner Mahesh Bhupathi in the mixed doubles event of Wimbledon as her doubles ranking is not helping her cause in the French Open, her father Irfan Mirza said today.
Sania now stands at 37 in the doubles while Bhupathi's rank is 25.
Her father told UNI that the pair may not be able to partner each other in the French Open as the combined ranking cut to get an entry in the mixed doubles category of the tournament is around 56.
Sania Mirza is now fit enough to take part in the coming French Open. However, it may take another few more weeks to get back in her prime form. I think Sania has a great potential to increase her ranking and get more success in the upcoming grand slam tournaments.
Sania now stands at 37 in the doubles while Bhupathi's rank is 25.
Her father told UNI that the pair may not be able to partner each other in the French Open as the combined ranking cut to get an entry in the mixed doubles category of the tournament is around 56.
Sania Mirza is now fit enough to take part in the coming French Open. However, it may take another few more weeks to get back in her prime form. I think Sania has a great potential to increase her ranking and get more success in the upcoming grand slam tournaments.
Sania, Chan falter at Istanbul final
Sania Mirza and her Taiwanese partner Yung-Jan Chan have lost in the final of the Istanbul Cup in Turkey.
The top seeds lost 1-6, 3-6 to an unseeded polish pair.
The defeat crushed Sania's hopes of back-to-back WTA doubles titles after her 4th doubles win at the Morocco Open last week.
This was Sania's last tournament before the French Open that starts Sunday.
The top seeds lost 1-6, 3-6 to an unseeded polish pair.
The defeat crushed Sania's hopes of back-to-back WTA doubles titles after her 4th doubles win at the Morocco Open last week.
This was Sania's last tournament before the French Open that starts Sunday.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Sania-Chan in Istanbul Cup final
Sania Mirza is eyeing her second WTA doubles tennis title in as many weeks after advancing to the final of US $200,000 Istanbul Cup in Istanbul on Friday.
The Indian ace and her new partner Yung-Jan Chan of Taipei overcame stiff resistance from Mervana Jugic-Salkic of Bosnia and Italy's Romina Oprandi before winning their semi-final match 6-7 (3/7), 6-0, 10-5.
Sania and Yung-Jan were leading 5-1 in the opening set after breaking their opponents in the first game of the match but squandered the advantage and allowed Mervana and Romina to level scores at 5-5 and win the set via the tie-breaker.
But it was a completely different story in the second set, which top seeded Sania and Yung-Jan dominated to take the match into the Super tie-breaker, which they won to clinch the match.
Sania won her fourth WTA doubles title at the Morocco Open at Fes, Morocco, partnering Vania King of the United States last week. She lost in the first round of the singles event in Istanbul to Meghann Shaughnessy
The Indian ace and her new partner Yung-Jan Chan of Taipei overcame stiff resistance from Mervana Jugic-Salkic of Bosnia and Italy's Romina Oprandi before winning their semi-final match 6-7 (3/7), 6-0, 10-5.
Sania and Yung-Jan were leading 5-1 in the opening set after breaking their opponents in the first game of the match but squandered the advantage and allowed Mervana and Romina to level scores at 5-5 and win the set via the tie-breaker.
But it was a completely different story in the second set, which top seeded Sania and Yung-Jan dominated to take the match into the Super tie-breaker, which they won to clinch the match.
Sania won her fourth WTA doubles title at the Morocco Open at Fes, Morocco, partnering Vania King of the United States last week. She lost in the first round of the singles event in Istanbul to Meghann Shaughnessy
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Sania to take on Alberta Brianti in French Open 1st round
Sania Mirza will take on Italian Alberta Brianti in her opening singles match of the French Open in Paris starting Sunday.
The Indian ace, who returned to action a fortnight ago from 2-1/2 months' lay-off following a knee injury, would run into seventh seed Ana Ivanovic of Serbia if she manages to clear the first hurdle.
The 20-year-old Hyderabadi girl is in the third quarter of the draw which also features Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova as the third seed, Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova, seeded 12th, and former champion Anastasia Myskina.
Sania would be aiming to erase the memories of a heartbreaking loss to Brianti last year on the WTA Tour, the only time the duo has faced each other so far.
Since her reurn from injury layoff, Sania has been struggling with her singles form and made first round exits from the two WTA events she played after returning to court.
However, the Hyderabadi player has been in excellent doubles form, winning the Morocco Open and reaching the final of the ongoing Istanbul Cup.
Sania would be guided by reputed Spanish coach Gabriel Urpi during the Grand Slam fortnight at Roland Garros.
Urpi, a former ATP Tour player, worked with former women's singles champion Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and currently tied up with WTA players Flavia Pannetta and Virginia Ruano Pascual.
Meanwhile, the Indian fans would have to wait for a while to see Sania pair up with Mahesh Bhupathi on the Grand Slam stage.
The combined doubles ranking of the two players -- Sania is currently ranked 37th and Bhupathi 23rd -- is unlikely to get them into the main draw of the mixed doubles for which the cut-off is expected to be around 56.
The Indian ace, who returned to action a fortnight ago from 2-1/2 months' lay-off following a knee injury, would run into seventh seed Ana Ivanovic of Serbia if she manages to clear the first hurdle.
The 20-year-old Hyderabadi girl is in the third quarter of the draw which also features Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova as the third seed, Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova, seeded 12th, and former champion Anastasia Myskina.
Sania would be aiming to erase the memories of a heartbreaking loss to Brianti last year on the WTA Tour, the only time the duo has faced each other so far.
Since her reurn from injury layoff, Sania has been struggling with her singles form and made first round exits from the two WTA events she played after returning to court.
However, the Hyderabadi player has been in excellent doubles form, winning the Morocco Open and reaching the final of the ongoing Istanbul Cup.
Sania would be guided by reputed Spanish coach Gabriel Urpi during the Grand Slam fortnight at Roland Garros.
Urpi, a former ATP Tour player, worked with former women's singles champion Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and currently tied up with WTA players Flavia Pannetta and Virginia Ruano Pascual.
Meanwhile, the Indian fans would have to wait for a while to see Sania pair up with Mahesh Bhupathi on the Grand Slam stage.
The combined doubles ranking of the two players -- Sania is currently ranked 37th and Bhupathi 23rd -- is unlikely to get them into the main draw of the mixed doubles for which the cut-off is expected to be around 56.
Spanish coach for Sania
New Delhi: Sania Mirza has roped in reputed Spanish coach Gabriel Urpi to help in her campaign at the French Open starting on Sunday.
This is a temporary arrangement as Sania will be guided by Urpi only during the Grand Slam fortnight. Urpi, a former ATP Tour player, has worked with Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and is currently tied up with Flavia Pannetta and Virginia Ruano Pascual.
The last time Sania sought guidance from a renowned coach was from the legendary Tony Roche before the start of 2006 season.
Meanwhile, the Indian fans will have to wait for a while to see Sania pair up with Mahesh Bhupathi on the Grand Slam stage. The combined doubles ranking of the two players — Sania is currently ranked 37th and Bhupathi 23rd — is unlikely to get them into the main draw of the mixed doubles for which the cut-off is expected to be around 56.
“But they definitely hope to play together in Wimbledon,” Sania’s father Imran said.
In the doubles at Roland Garros, Sania will partner Eva Birnerova of Russia.
Eva will be the 20-year-old Indian’s third partner in as many tournaments since she returned to the courts after a two-and-half-month-long lay-off following a knee injury.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Sania's feet of clay face stern test
IT'S a fact that Sania Mirza's greatest test of the season is ahead - the clay season of the WTA Tour. While her doubles record reads an impressive 14-5 W/L, that includes being in two finals, and the recent title at Morocco, singles have been a nightmare.
If just two singles wins from eight matches is any proof of her struggle, the other interesting statistic is the fact that Sania has dropped out of the Top 50 two times during the clay season. The worrying factor is, however, the struggle she's had to regain her elite status.
While August 27, 2006 was the day when Saina dropped to 54 - a rank that took over five months to shirk off, Monday saw her drop out of the top fifty again after managing to stay put there for 111 days.
With an injury to her right knee to be blamed for the dip in her ranking over the past three months,today, on the eve of her first match at the Istanbul Open, she is ranked 52 and the question that lurks is how fast she would manage to get back among the elite.
Seeded No 8 at Istanbul, Sania has a tough opener against world No 66 Meghan Shaughnessy of the United States, who, compared to Sania has a decent record on all surfaces.
Their Round One meeting on the clay courts of Istanbul on Tuesday will be a first. At Roland Garros the American has a 8-8 W-L, which, together with Sania's injury tilts the balance in Meghan's favour.
Having earned considerable success at Istanbul last year by finishing runners-up in the doubles event with Australia's Alicia Molik, the recent Morocco WTA success would surely have boosted Sania's confidence.
Seeded top for the doubles event, Sania and partner Yung-Jan Chan (Chinese Taipei) run into Romanians Sorana Cirstea/ Agnes Szatmari.
At the moment, clay may be good for Sania's knees more than the hard courts, but one thing that she would have on her mind is to jerk the rust off, for only wins would help her back to where she was. Sania FILE Important Dates- August 8, 2005: Cracked Top-50 - reached No 48 October 10, 2005: Career-high No 31 August 27, 2006: Slipped out of Top 50 - from No 44 to 54 January 29, 2007: Cracked Top-50 again - reached No 48, Reached career-high in doubles No 23 May 21, 2007: slipped out of Top-50.
If just two singles wins from eight matches is any proof of her struggle, the other interesting statistic is the fact that Sania has dropped out of the Top 50 two times during the clay season. The worrying factor is, however, the struggle she's had to regain her elite status.
While August 27, 2006 was the day when Saina dropped to 54 - a rank that took over five months to shirk off, Monday saw her drop out of the top fifty again after managing to stay put there for 111 days.
With an injury to her right knee to be blamed for the dip in her ranking over the past three months,today, on the eve of her first match at the Istanbul Open, she is ranked 52 and the question that lurks is how fast she would manage to get back among the elite.
Seeded No 8 at Istanbul, Sania has a tough opener against world No 66 Meghan Shaughnessy of the United States, who, compared to Sania has a decent record on all surfaces.
Their Round One meeting on the clay courts of Istanbul on Tuesday will be a first. At Roland Garros the American has a 8-8 W-L, which, together with Sania's injury tilts the balance in Meghan's favour.
Having earned considerable success at Istanbul last year by finishing runners-up in the doubles event with Australia's Alicia Molik, the recent Morocco WTA success would surely have boosted Sania's confidence.
Seeded top for the doubles event, Sania and partner Yung-Jan Chan (Chinese Taipei) run into Romanians Sorana Cirstea/ Agnes Szatmari.
At the moment, clay may be good for Sania's knees more than the hard courts, but one thing that she would have on her mind is to jerk the rust off, for only wins would help her back to where she was. Sania FILE Important Dates- August 8, 2005: Cracked Top-50 - reached No 48 October 10, 2005: Career-high No 31 August 27, 2006: Slipped out of Top 50 - from No 44 to 54 January 29, 2007: Cracked Top-50 again - reached No 48, Reached career-high in doubles No 23 May 21, 2007: slipped out of Top-50.
Sania loses
New Delhi: For the second week in a row since returning from knee injury, Sania Mirza failed to clear the opening round in a WTA Tour event, going down tamely to Meghann Shaughnessy in the $200,000 Istanbul Cup tennis tournament on Tuesday.
The 52nd-ranked Indian lost 4-6, 3-6 in just over one hour and 20 minutes.
The 52nd-ranked Indian lost 4-6, 3-6 in just over one hour and 20 minutes.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Sania-Vania win doubles title
Sania Mirza won her first WTA title this year by winning the Morocco Open Doubles with American partner Vania King.
The Top seeded pair beat second seeds Romania's Andreea Ehritt-Vanc and Anastassia Rodianova of Russia 6-1, 6-2 in the doubles final.
Sania, who was out with knee injury for about three months, more than made up for her singles ouster of the Morocco Open. This was Sania's fourth career title and her first outside India.
The Top seeded pair beat second seeds Romania's Andreea Ehritt-Vanc and Anastassia Rodianova of Russia 6-1, 6-2 in the doubles final.
Sania, who was out with knee injury for about three months, more than made up for her singles ouster of the Morocco Open. This was Sania's fourth career title and her first outside India.
Sania drops to No. 52
New Delhi: Sania Mirza’s Morocco Open doubles triumph saw her doubles ranking improve to No. 37 on the WTA list issued on Monday.
The first round exit in the singles event , however, made her drop one place to No. 52 on the singles list. She has 503 ranking points.
The 20-year-old, back after a two-and-a-half-month injury lay-off, teamed up with American Vania King to clinch the doubles title in Fes on Saturday. The win pushed her up four places with 1027 points.
On the men’s side, Leander Paes stayed at No. 6 on the individual doubles list with 3940 points. Mahesh Bhupathi moved up two places to 23rd with 1670 points.
In the Champions Race, Paes and his Czech partner, Martin Damm, moved down one spot to No. 3 with 345 points.
The first round exit in the singles event , however, made her drop one place to No. 52 on the singles list. She has 503 ranking points.
The 20-year-old, back after a two-and-a-half-month injury lay-off, teamed up with American Vania King to clinch the doubles title in Fes on Saturday. The win pushed her up four places with 1027 points.
On the men’s side, Leander Paes stayed at No. 6 on the individual doubles list with 3940 points. Mahesh Bhupathi moved up two places to 23rd with 1670 points.
In the Champions Race, Paes and his Czech partner, Martin Damm, moved down one spot to No. 3 with 345 points.
Sania-Chan through to doubles quarters in Istanbul
Top seeds Sania Mirza and her Taiwanese partner Yung-Jan Chan sailed into the quarterfinals of the $200,000 Istanbul Cup with an easy 6-3, 6-1 win over the Romanian pair of Sorana Cirstea and Agnes Szatmari in Turkey on Tuesday.
Sania and Yung-Jan will take on the Greco-German duo of Anna Polunina and Stella Menna in the last eight stage of the Tier III WTA Tour event.
The top seeds overcame a patchy start to storm past their unseeded rivals for a comfortable victory.
Sania and Yung-Jan were broken twice in the first set but more than made up for that with four breaks of their own in the opening set.
The Indo-Taiwanese combination put up an even better display in the next set and held their serve besides breaking the Romanians twice to clinch the match.
Earlier, Sania bowed out of the singles competition in the first round itself, losing to American Meghann Saughnessy.
The Indian ace, who is coming back after a 2-1/2 month-long injury layoff, was seeded eighth in the singles draw.
Sania and Yung-Jan will take on the Greco-German duo of Anna Polunina and Stella Menna in the last eight stage of the Tier III WTA Tour event.
The top seeds overcame a patchy start to storm past their unseeded rivals for a comfortable victory.
Sania and Yung-Jan were broken twice in the first set but more than made up for that with four breaks of their own in the opening set.
The Indo-Taiwanese combination put up an even better display in the next set and held their serve besides breaking the Romanians twice to clinch the match.
Earlier, Sania bowed out of the singles competition in the first round itself, losing to American Meghann Saughnessy.
The Indian ace, who is coming back after a 2-1/2 month-long injury layoff, was seeded eighth in the singles draw.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Sania gets top ranking in doubles event
New Delhi: Fresh from her success in the Morocco Open, Sania Mirza has been top seeded in the doubles competition of the US$ 200,000 WTA Istanbul Cup in Turkey.The Indian ace, who clinched the Morocco doubles title with American Vania King, will be teaming up with Yung-Jan Chan of Taiwan in the event.
The 20-year-old has been seeded eighth in the singles and will take on American Meghann Shaughnessy in the first round.
In the doubles event, Sania and Yung-Jan will start their campaign against the Romanian pair of Sorana Cirstea and Agnes Szatmari.
The tier III event features some of the biggest names in the WTA circuit like US Open champion Maria Sharapova of Russia, American Venus Williams and Swiss Patty Schnyder.
Sharapova has already got a walkover to the second round.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Sania drops to 47th in WTA rankings
New Delhi, March 19: The four-week layoff due to a knee injury has seen Sania Mirza drop two spots to 47th in the latest WTA rankings today.
Sania, who is under rehabillitaion to recuperate from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, has 504 ranking points.
The Indian ace picked up the injury during the Doha Open two weeks ago.
The lay off has also led to a drop in Sania's doubles rankings and the 20-year-old has slipped five places to 31st in the list with 1074 ranking points.
Among other Indians in the singles' list, the US-based Shikha Uberoi (107.75) is the next highest placed at 240th spot, which is an improvement of two rungs.
Veteran Rushmi Chakravarthi remained steady at 394th with 46.25 points, while Ankita Bhambri (39) was up four spots to 441st this week.
Meanwhile, Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne (3645) reclaimed the top spot in the rankings, overtaking Russia's Maria Sharapova (3564).
Sharapova's compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova (2947) completes the top three.
In the ATP rankings, estranged partners Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi held on to their 12th and 21st position respectively.
Paes, however, is expected a big jump as he along with partner Czech Republic Martin Damm claimed their second ATP title this season winning the doubles crown at the pacific life open yesterday. Damm is currently placed 10th.
Sania, who is under rehabillitaion to recuperate from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, has 504 ranking points.
The Indian ace picked up the injury during the Doha Open two weeks ago.
The lay off has also led to a drop in Sania's doubles rankings and the 20-year-old has slipped five places to 31st in the list with 1074 ranking points.
Among other Indians in the singles' list, the US-based Shikha Uberoi (107.75) is the next highest placed at 240th spot, which is an improvement of two rungs.
Veteran Rushmi Chakravarthi remained steady at 394th with 46.25 points, while Ankita Bhambri (39) was up four spots to 441st this week.
Meanwhile, Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne (3645) reclaimed the top spot in the rankings, overtaking Russia's Maria Sharapova (3564).
Sharapova's compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova (2947) completes the top three.
In the ATP rankings, estranged partners Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi held on to their 12th and 21st position respectively.
Paes, however, is expected a big jump as he along with partner Czech Republic Martin Damm claimed their second ATP title this season winning the doubles crown at the pacific life open yesterday. Damm is currently placed 10th.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Photo : Sania Mirza on a wheel chair
Sania Mirza sits on a wheel chair as she leaves a hospital in Hyderabad March 4, 2007. Sania was ruled out of action for at least four weeks on Saturday after undergoing surgery on her right knee
Friday, March 02, 2007
Sania out of action for at least a few weeks
Hyderabad, March. 2: Sania Mirza has been ruled out of action for at least a few weeks with medical reports today indicating "a possible Anterior Cruciate Ligament" injury to her right knee.
The 20-year old Indian, who sustained a hyper-extension of the knee during her first round match in the Qatar Open in Doha earlier this week, had laxity of the ACL, the doctor treating her at a local hospital said.
"The MRI scan of the knee joint indicates a possible ACL injury," Dr. Hariprasad of Apollo Hospitals here said.
"Sania was complaining of extreme pain in the knee with swelling and on examination (it was found that) she had laxity of Anterior Cruciate ligament.
"As the joint is painful, she will be examined under anaesthesia and then further course of action will be decided."
The full extent of the injury and the recovery time would be known only after a complete examination, Hariprasad said.
An athlete who has suffered a simple ACL injury could undergo physiotherapy and return to action within a few weeks.
But in case of an ACL with a tear, it could take anywhere between three and six months, a medical expert said.
The 20-year old Indian, who sustained a hyper-extension of the knee during her first round match in the Qatar Open in Doha earlier this week, had laxity of the ACL, the doctor treating her at a local hospital said.
"The MRI scan of the knee joint indicates a possible ACL injury," Dr. Hariprasad of Apollo Hospitals here said.
"Sania was complaining of extreme pain in the knee with swelling and on examination (it was found that) she had laxity of Anterior Cruciate ligament.
"As the joint is painful, she will be examined under anaesthesia and then further course of action will be decided."
The full extent of the injury and the recovery time would be known only after a complete examination, Hariprasad said.
An athlete who has suffered a simple ACL injury could undergo physiotherapy and return to action within a few weeks.
But in case of an ACL with a tear, it could take anywhere between three and six months, a medical expert said.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
INTERVIEW: SANIA MIRZA
`Doubles helped improve my game'
| Sania Mirza's current form is encouraging. By her own admission she is playing her best tennis now. And the turning point of her success this season has been Doha. "I started winning a lot more after that," she says in a chat with Nandita Sridhar. |
Sania Mirza of 2007 is a mixture of the confident teenager who stormed the scene two seasons ago and the one who looks to have learnt from last year's losses and disappointments.
The 20-year-old's season so far has been encouraging, with two semifinal and one quarterfinal appearances. But it's too early in the season to read anything much in them.
Speaking to Sportstar, Sania shed light on her game, fitness, Indian tennis, and other issues.
Excerpts:
Question: A lot of people have a lot of things to say about your current form. How do you feel about your game now? Would you say that Doha was the turning point of your success this season?
Answer: I'm playing my best tennis now, and I always give 100 percent every time I step on the court. There are things to work on, of course, like the serve. Doha was the turning point in the sense that I started winning a lot more after that. I played great there and I'm very happy about it. It gave me a lot of confidence when I beat the World No. 22 then.
How fit are you now when compared to last year?
I have a trainer (Heath Matthews) and I've been training really hard and punishing myself. What has helped me the most is that I haven't had any injuries in the last six months.
Do you have any plans to appoint a full-time travelling coach? Do you think you need one now?
I'm not doing too badly without a full-time travelling coach. I might get one, but I'm not in a hurry.
How has playing doubles helped your game?
I'm ranked No. 26 in the world in doubles now. I don't play doubles in all the tournaments, but I chose to play here (Bangalore), so my fans could get to see more of me. Doubles has helped me a lot in improving my volleying and serving. It keeps my confidence levels high.
Do you have any specific goals at this stage of your career?
At this point, I don't. Right now, I'm just looking at taking one week at a time.
How does it feel to play at home?
It's a different experience, and it's a lot of fun. The pressure and expectations are there for anyone who plays at home and in front of thousands. The only difference with me is that I have to deal with a billion.
What are your thoughts on the future of tennis in the country?
I don't exactly know who the next top-50 or top-100 player is going to be, but we are going to have not just one or two, but quite a few. Few years ago, when I was playing under-10 and under-12 tournaments, we had draws of fours and fives. Now there are hundreds of girls. I think that slowly but surely we will see a lot more. When I started playing there was one coach, now there are 5000-odd people coaching. When I see kids come out and show their support, I realise how much the sport has grown here.
Who are the other Indian girls who can make it to the next level?
There are a lot of talented girls, like Tara (Iyer) for example. There are girls I've grown up with, like Ankita (Bhambri) and Isha (Lakhani). It's just a question of getting the right opportunities and the right breaks.
Do we have the necessary infrastructure to support the growth of the game in the country?
It's no secret that the infrastructure is not the best in India, but it's slowly getting there. We now have some really good stadiums and things are looking good for the future. Hyderabad, for example, has one of the best stadiums.
India now hosts two WTA events, which was unthinkable earlier. Having taken part in them for the last couple of years, how have they been?
The first tournament in any country will not really be the best, but over the last three years things have got better. Sony Ericsson's involvement in women's tennis is helping a lot, and they're doing a lot to promote women's tennis across the globe. Events like these (Sony Ericsson International) in India will be a boost to the game in the country.
What sort of feedback have you received from other players on the tournaments here?
It's been good. Serena contemplated coming here and almost did. Martina Navratilova came here. A lot more girls now want to play in India.
How do you think women's tennis has changed over the years?
Earlier, the idea was that femininity and sport never go together. Things have changed a lot now, and women's tennis has so much going for it, like the depth and the glamour.
Women's tennis is now being significantly marketed for its glamour. Is it healthy for the sport?
It's a very personal thing and depends on how you want to project yourself. The top priority for most is winning. My focus is always on doing well on the court, and looking good or ugly at that point is the last thing on my mind. But it's fine to have some fun. The Sony Ericsson Open in Miami (March), for example, is going to project both the tennis and the glamour. We're going to see some great tennis and it's going to be one big party for the players. We all love dressing up, and being a tennis player doesn't mean punishing yourself all the time.
As a kid who wanted to make it big in tennis, who was your role model then, and who is it now?
Steffi Graf has always been my role model. From the current crop, we have to salute Serena Williams. She's proved the whole world wrong, and showed us that anything is possible.
What's your take on the issue of equal prize money?
It's not like we're dying or going bankrupt because we're getting lesser than the men, but we definitely deserve it, because we're working equally hard. It's a question of equal rights.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Injured Sania pulls out of Qatar Open
Indian tennis star Sania Mirza on Wednesday pulled out of the Qatar Open WTA tennis tournament due to knee injury.
Sania announced her decision just before her second round singles match to be played in front of the capacity crowd on the centre court against Ukrainian Kateryna Bondarenko in the USD 1.34 million event.
The 20-year-old had sustained the injury during her win against Italy's Romina Oprandi in the opening round on Monday.
Sania had withdrawn from the doubles event yesterday.
She will now return to her home town Hyderabad, where she will undergo a scan on Thursday.
The 46-ranked is next scheduled to play in the Indian Wells tournament.
Sania announced her decision just before her second round singles match to be played in front of the capacity crowd on the centre court against Ukrainian Kateryna Bondarenko in the USD 1.34 million event.
The 20-year-old had sustained the injury during her win against Italy's Romina Oprandi in the opening round on Monday.
Sania had withdrawn from the doubles event yesterday.
She will now return to her home town Hyderabad, where she will undergo a scan on Thursday.
The 46-ranked is next scheduled to play in the Indian Wells tournament.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza returns the ball to Romina Oprandi from Italy during the Qatar Open
Sania Mirza returns the ball to Romina Oprandi from Italy during the Qatar Open tennis tournament in Doha
Photo:Sania Mirza reacts to a lost point
Sania Mirza reacts to a lost point against Romina Oprandi from Italy during their Qatar Open tennis tournament match in Doha February 26, 2007
Monday, February 26, 2007
Crowd favourite Mirza advances in Doha
DOHA (AFP) - Indian heart-throb Sania Mirza stormed into the second round of the 1.34 million dollar Qatar Open with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Italian Romina Oprandi on Monday.
Backed by a strong crowd of expatriate Indians in Qatar, Mirza, who was trailing 3-0 in the second set, won six games in a row to complete her second victory over Oprandi this year after her triumph last month in Australia.
Both players carried niggling knee injuries and Mirza had to get on-court treatment for several minutes, but that didn't stop her from unleashing some sizzling shots that left the Italian rooted on the court on several occasions.
Mirza, who was the toast of the crowd during the Asian Games last December, had to come from behind in the first set too, storming from 3-1 down to take a 4-3 lead and holding serve to consolidate her position further.
After Oprandi won the next game, the Indian closed out the set with ease using her booming forehand to good effect.
The Qatar Tennis Federation acknoledged Mirza's tremendous crowd-pulling prowess, by opening the tournament with her match on centre court and the response from the public more than justified their decision.
"I am quite happy with the way I played although I made some mistakes on big points," Mirza said referring to some easy volleys she missed at the net.
"I am also quite happy with the way I was received by the Indians living here. it's always good to have some support."
Mirza said she will be trying to play the tournament in a relaxed manner after all the hype during the Asian Games.
"The Asiad was different because I was expected to win some medals, but that is not the case here. Here there are so many good players that I just want to go out there and do my best."
Meanwhile, two other Italians avoided Oprandi's fate by advancing into the second round. Francesca Schiavone, the eighth seed here, defeated Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova 6-2, 6-4, while Mara Santangelo ousted Germany's Sandra Kloesel 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).
Backed by a strong crowd of expatriate Indians in Qatar, Mirza, who was trailing 3-0 in the second set, won six games in a row to complete her second victory over Oprandi this year after her triumph last month in Australia.
Both players carried niggling knee injuries and Mirza had to get on-court treatment for several minutes, but that didn't stop her from unleashing some sizzling shots that left the Italian rooted on the court on several occasions.
Mirza, who was the toast of the crowd during the Asian Games last December, had to come from behind in the first set too, storming from 3-1 down to take a 4-3 lead and holding serve to consolidate her position further.
After Oprandi won the next game, the Indian closed out the set with ease using her booming forehand to good effect.
The Qatar Tennis Federation acknoledged Mirza's tremendous crowd-pulling prowess, by opening the tournament with her match on centre court and the response from the public more than justified their decision.
"I am quite happy with the way I played although I made some mistakes on big points," Mirza said referring to some easy volleys she missed at the net.
"I am also quite happy with the way I was received by the Indians living here. it's always good to have some support."
Mirza said she will be trying to play the tournament in a relaxed manner after all the hype during the Asian Games.
"The Asiad was different because I was expected to win some medals, but that is not the case here. Here there are so many good players that I just want to go out there and do my best."
Meanwhile, two other Italians avoided Oprandi's fate by advancing into the second round. Francesca Schiavone, the eighth seed here, defeated Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova 6-2, 6-4, while Mara Santangelo ousted Germany's Sandra Kloesel 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).
Photo:Sania Mirza returns a backhand to Romina Oprandi
Sania Mirza returns a backhand to Romina Oprandi of Italy during their tennis match of the WTA Qatar Total Open in Doha. Sania won 6-4, 6-3
Sania drops one place to 46th
Sania Mirza, who took a week off the circuit after the Bangalore Open, has slipped one spot to number 46 in the latest WTA Tour rankings.
The Indian star reached the quarterfinals in Bangalore where she lost to Russian Yaroslava Shvedova in three tough sets.
The 20-year old Hyderabadi returns to the circuit at the Qatar Open in Doha where she will take on Italian Romina Oprandi in the opening round.
Sania, however, improved two places to 26th in the doubles rankings.
Shikha Uberoi is the next highest ranked Indian, improving one spot to 231st in singles while dropping two places to 89th in the doubles charts.
Leander Paes and his Czech partner Martin Damm won their third career title together, beating Andrei Pavel of Romania and Alexander Waske of Germany 6-3 6-7(5) 10-7 in the final of the ATP event in Rotterdam.
Paes and Damm were runners-up at Doha last month to Mikhail Youzhny and Nenad Zimonjic.
However, the success did not help in improving their rankings with Paes (12th) and Damm (11th) holding on to their places. Mahesh Bhupathi clung on to 27th spot in doubles.
The Indian star reached the quarterfinals in Bangalore where she lost to Russian Yaroslava Shvedova in three tough sets.
The 20-year old Hyderabadi returns to the circuit at the Qatar Open in Doha where she will take on Italian Romina Oprandi in the opening round.
Sania, however, improved two places to 26th in the doubles rankings.
Shikha Uberoi is the next highest ranked Indian, improving one spot to 231st in singles while dropping two places to 89th in the doubles charts.
Leander Paes and his Czech partner Martin Damm won their third career title together, beating Andrei Pavel of Romania and Alexander Waske of Germany 6-3 6-7(5) 10-7 in the final of the ATP event in Rotterdam.
Paes and Damm were runners-up at Doha last month to Mikhail Youzhny and Nenad Zimonjic.
However, the success did not help in improving their rankings with Paes (12th) and Damm (11th) holding on to their places. Mahesh Bhupathi clung on to 27th spot in doubles.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Sania crashes out of Bangalore Open tennis
Second seed Sania Mirza crashed out of the $175,000 Bangalore Open tennis tournament Friday, losing to unseeded Yaroslava Shvedova of Russia.
Shvedova defeated Sania 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the semi-finals. Sania lost despite enjoying huge crowds support throughout the match.She will, however, return to the court later in the evening when she plays doubles quarter-finals.
Second-seeded pair Sania and Mara Santangelo of Italy will play Uberoi sisters Neha, who is representing the US, and Shikha, who is playing for India.
In the other singles quarter-final encounters, top seed Santangelo defeated qualifier Yurika Sema of Japan 6-1, 6-4 and Tzipora Obziler of Israel beat Melinda Czink of Hungary 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) in a match between unseeded players.
The fourth quarter-final match be played between fourth seed Jelena Kostanic Tosic of Croatia and Olga Savchuk of Ukraine.
Shvedova defeated Sania 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the semi-finals. Sania lost despite enjoying huge crowds support throughout the match.She will, however, return to the court later in the evening when she plays doubles quarter-finals.
Second-seeded pair Sania and Mara Santangelo of Italy will play Uberoi sisters Neha, who is representing the US, and Shikha, who is playing for India.
In the other singles quarter-final encounters, top seed Santangelo defeated qualifier Yurika Sema of Japan 6-1, 6-4 and Tzipora Obziler of Israel beat Melinda Czink of Hungary 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) in a match between unseeded players.
The fourth quarter-final match be played between fourth seed Jelena Kostanic Tosic of Croatia and Olga Savchuk of Ukraine.
Sania crashes out of Bangalore Open tennis
Bangalore, Feb 16 Second seed Sania Mirza crashed out of the $175,000 Bangalore Open tennis tournament Friday, losing to unseeded Yaroslava Shvedova of Russia.
Shvedova defeated Sania 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the semi-finals. Sania lost despite enjoying huge crowds support throughout the match.She will, however, return to the court later in the evening when she plays doubles quarter-finals.
Second-seeded pair Sania and Mara Santangelo of Italy will play Uberoi sisters Neha, who is representing the US, and Shikha, who is playing for India.
In the other singles quarter-final encounters, top seed Santangelo defeated qualifier Yurika Sema of Japan 6-1, 6-4 and Tzipora Obziler of Israel beat Melinda Czink of Hungary 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) in a match between unseeded players.
The fourth quarter-final match be played between fourth seed Jelena Kostanic Tosic of Croatia and Olga Savchuk of Ukraine.
Shvedova defeated Sania 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the semi-finals. Sania lost despite enjoying huge crowds support throughout the match.She will, however, return to the court later in the evening when she plays doubles quarter-finals.
Second-seeded pair Sania and Mara Santangelo of Italy will play Uberoi sisters Neha, who is representing the US, and Shikha, who is playing for India.
In the other singles quarter-final encounters, top seed Santangelo defeated qualifier Yurika Sema of Japan 6-1, 6-4 and Tzipora Obziler of Israel beat Melinda Czink of Hungary 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) in a match between unseeded players.
The fourth quarter-final match be played between fourth seed Jelena Kostanic Tosic of Croatia and Olga Savchuk of Ukraine.
Photo:Sania Mirza serves a volley against Russia's Yaroslava Shvedova
Sania Mirza serves a volley against Russia's Yaroslava Shvedova, unseen, during the quarterfinal match of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in Bangalore, India, Friday, Feb. 16
PIC: -Sania Mirza serves a volley against Russia's Yaroslava Shvedova
Sania Mirza serves a volley against Russia's Yaroslava Shvedova, unseen, during the quarterfinal match of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in Bangalore, India, Friday, Feb. 16, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza stands on the court during her match
Sania Mirza stands on the court during her match against Russia's Yaroslava Shvedova at the Women's Open tennis tournament in the southern Indian city of Bangalore
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza coaches a girl
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Sania Mirza coaches a girl in the southern Indian city of Bangalore February 15, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza smiles after winning the match
Sania Mirza smiles after winning the match against Belarus' Tatiana Poutchek at the Women's Open tennis tournament in the southern Indian city of Bangalore February 15, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza celebrates after winning the match
Sania Mirza celebrates after winning the match against Belarus' Tatiana Poutchek at the Women's Open tennis tournament in the southern Indian city of Bangalore February 15, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza plays a shot to Belarus' Tatiana Poutchek
Sania Mirza plays a shot to Belarus' Tatiana Poutchek during their match at the Women's Open tennis tournament in the southern Indian city of Bangalore February 15, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza celebrates after winning the match
Sania Mirza celebrates after winning the match against Belarus' Tatiana Poutchek at the Women's Open tennis tournament in the southern Indian city of Bangalore February 15, 2007
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza plays a shot to Slovakia's Martina Sucha during their match
Sania Mirza plays a shot to Slovakia's Martina Sucha during their match at the Women's Open tennis tournament in the southern Indian city of Bangalore February 14, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza plays a shot to Slovakia's Martina Sucha
Sania Mirza plays a shot to Slovakia's Martina Sucha during their match at the Women's Open tennis tournament in the southern Indian city of Bangalore February 14, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza, right, and Italian Mara Santangelo play against Uzbekistan's Akgul Amnanmradova and Belarus' Tatiana Poutchek
Sania Mirza, right, and Italian Mara Santangelo play against Uzbekistan's Akgul Amnanmradova and Belarus' Tatiana Poutchek, unseen, during the first round doubles tennis match of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in Bangalore, India, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2007. Mirza/Santangelo won 6-2, 7-6.
Photo:Sania Mirza checks her racket during a break at a tennis match against Uzbekistan's Akgul Amnanmradova
Sania Mirza checks her racket during a break at a tennis match against Uzbekistan's Akgul Amnanmradova and Belarus's Tatiana Poutchek, unseen, during the first round doubles match of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in Bangalore, India, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2007. Sania and her partner Italy's Mara Santangelo won the match 6-2, 7-6.
Photo:Sania Mirza, left, plays a shot as her partner Italy's Mara Santangelo looks on
Sania Mirza, left, plays a shot as her partner Italy's Mara Santangelo looks on during a tennis match against Uzbekistan's Akgul Amnanmradova and Belarus's Tatiana Poutchek, unseen, at the first round doubles match of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in Bangalore, India, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2007. Sania and Santangelo won the match 6-2, 7-6.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza (front) and her doubles partner Mara Santangelo
+and+her+doubles+partner+Mara+Santangelo+of+Italy+play+a+shot+to+Uzbekistan%27s+Akgul+Amanmuradova+and+Tatiana+Poutchek+of+Belarus+during+their+match+at+the+Bangalore+Women%27s+Open+tennis+tournament.jpg)
Sania Mirza (front) and her doubles partner Mara Santangelo of Italy play a shot to Uzbekistan's Akgul Amanmuradova and Tatiana Poutchek of Belarus during their match at the Bangalore Women's Open tennis tournament
Monday, February 12, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza smiles during a news conference
Sania Mirza smiles during a news conference in the southern Indian city of Bangalore February 12, 2007
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza hits a return to Gisela Dulko of Argentina
Sania Mirza of India hits a return to Gisela Dulko of Argentina at the Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament in Pattaya, Thailand February 10, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza of India hits a return to Gisela Dulko
Sania Mirza of India hits a return to Gisela Dulko of Argentina at the Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament in Pattaya, Thailand February 10, 2007
Friday, February 09, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza waves to supporters
Sania Mirza waves to supporters after her win over Italy's Mara Santangelo at the Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament in Pattaya, Thailand, February 9, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza plays a shot to Italy's Mara Santangelo
Sania Mirza plays a shot to Italy's Mara Santangelo at the Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament in Pattaya, Thailand, February 9, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza plays a shot to Italy's Mara Santangelo
Sania Mirza plays a shot to Italy's Mara Santangelo at the Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament in Pattaya, Thailand, February 9, 2007
Sania Mirza plays a shot to Italy's Mara Santangelo
Sania Mirza plays a shot to Italy's Mara Santangelo at the Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament in Pattaya, Thailand, February 9, 2007.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza plays a shot to Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn
Sania Mirza plays a shot to Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn at the Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament in Pattaya, Thailand February 7, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza gestures during her match
Sania Mirza gestures during her match against Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn at the Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament in Pattaya, Thailand February 7, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza serves to Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn
Sania Mirza serves to Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn at the Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament in Pattaya, Thailand, February 7, 2007.
Photo:Sania Mirza plays a shot to Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn
Sania Mirza plays a shot to Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn at the Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament in Pattaya, Thailand, February 7, 2007
Friday, February 02, 2007
Photo:Sania Mirza attends a promotional event
Sania Mirza attends a promotional event in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad February 2, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
Sania bags Young Achievers award
Tennis star Sania Mirza and filmmaker Vishal Bharadwaj were honoured with the Society Young Achievers Award 2007 in Mumbai.
They were awarded the honour on Thursday evening for their outstanding achievements in their field.
Among the others who won awards were Vikrant and Ranjit (Business), Arnab Goswami (Media), Upen Patel (Glamour), Nandita Mahtani (Fashion), Payal Khandwala (Fine Arts), Rohit Roy (Television), Himesh Reshammiya (Performing Arts) and Shiney Ahuja (Films).
Socialite Bina Ramani was facilitated on the occasion as well, for standing up for truth in the Jessical Lall murder case.
On the panel of judges were Harsh Goenka, Mohamma Azharuddin,
Jehangir Sabavala, Pankaj Udhas, Haseena Jethmalani, Mandira Bedi and Anupam Kher among others.
They were awarded the honour on Thursday evening for their outstanding achievements in their field.
Among the others who won awards were Vikrant and Ranjit (Business), Arnab Goswami (Media), Upen Patel (Glamour), Nandita Mahtani (Fashion), Payal Khandwala (Fine Arts), Rohit Roy (Television), Himesh Reshammiya (Performing Arts) and Shiney Ahuja (Films).
Socialite Bina Ramani was facilitated on the occasion as well, for standing up for truth in the Jessical Lall murder case.
On the panel of judges were Harsh Goenka, Mohamma Azharuddin, Jehangir Sabavala, Pankaj Udhas, Haseena Jethmalani, Mandira Bedi and Anupam Kher among others.
Sania back among top-50 in WTA rankings
New Delhi: Despite a second round exit at the Australian Open, Sania Mirza was back among the world's top-50 by gaining five spots to be at 48th place in the latest WTA Tour rankings.
The 20-year-old Hyderabad girl defeated Ukrainian Olga Savchuk in the first round before going down tamely to Japan's Aiko Nakamura to bow out of the singles draw in the first tennis Grand Slam of the year.
Sania was benefited by the drop in rankings of Americans Shenay Perry and an out of scene Venus Williams, as well as Russian Elena Vesnina.
Shikha Uberoi, the next highest Indian in the rankings, dropped 20 places to be 228th.
Australian Open champion Serena Williams has a steep climb from 81st to 14th place while beaten finalist Maria Sharapova of Russia took over the top ranking from Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne.
Czech Republic's Nicole Vaidisova, who made it all the way to the last four, entered into the top-10 list by gaining three spots to be ninth. Another semifinallist Belgian Kim Clijsters moved one place up to fourth.
Sania, who teamed up with Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues to make it to the third round in women's doubles, gained two spots to be at 23rd position. Shikha is the only other Indian in the top 100 at number 92.
Among the men, Leander Paes, who did not have a great run in Melbourne in partnership with Czech Republic's Martin Damm, dropped two places to 12th on the ATP rankings.
Mahesh Bhupathi, who reached the quarterfinals with Czech Radek Stepanek, rose two spots to the 27th.
The 20-year-old Hyderabad girl defeated Ukrainian Olga Savchuk in the first round before going down tamely to Japan's Aiko Nakamura to bow out of the singles draw in the first tennis Grand Slam of the year.
Sania was benefited by the drop in rankings of Americans Shenay Perry and an out of scene Venus Williams, as well as Russian Elena Vesnina.
Shikha Uberoi, the next highest Indian in the rankings, dropped 20 places to be 228th.
Australian Open champion Serena Williams has a steep climb from 81st to 14th place while beaten finalist Maria Sharapova of Russia took over the top ranking from Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne.
Czech Republic's Nicole Vaidisova, who made it all the way to the last four, entered into the top-10 list by gaining three spots to be ninth. Another semifinallist Belgian Kim Clijsters moved one place up to fourth.
Sania, who teamed up with Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues to make it to the third round in women's doubles, gained two spots to be at 23rd position. Shikha is the only other Indian in the top 100 at number 92.
Among the men, Leander Paes, who did not have a great run in Melbourne in partnership with Czech Republic's Martin Damm, dropped two places to 12th on the ATP rankings.
Mahesh Bhupathi, who reached the quarterfinals with Czech Radek Stepanek, rose two spots to the 27th.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Sania bags Young Achievers award
Tennis star Sania Mirza and filmmaker Vishal Bharadwaj were honoured with the Society Young Achievers Award 2007 in Mumbai.
They were awarded the honour on Thursday evening for their outstanding achievements in their field.
Among the others who won awards were Vikrant and Ranjit (Business), Arnab Goswami (Media), Upen Patel (Glamour), Nandita Mahtani (Fashion), Payal Khandwala (Fine Arts), Rohit Roy (Television), Himesh Reshammiya (Performing Arts) and Shiney Ahuja (Films).
Socialite Bina Ramani was facilitated on the occasion as well, for standing up for truth in the Jessical Lall murder case.
On the panel of judges were Harsh Goenka, Mohamma Azharuddin,
Jehangir Sabavala, Pankaj Udhas, Haseena Jethmalani, Mandira Bedi and Anupam Kher among others.
They were awarded the honour on Thursday evening for their outstanding achievements in their field.
Among the others who won awards were Vikrant and Ranjit (Business), Arnab Goswami (Media), Upen Patel (Glamour), Nandita Mahtani (Fashion), Payal Khandwala (Fine Arts), Rohit Roy (Television), Himesh Reshammiya (Performing Arts) and Shiney Ahuja (Films).
Socialite Bina Ramani was facilitated on the occasion as well, for standing up for truth in the Jessical Lall murder case.
On the panel of judges were Harsh Goenka, Mohamma Azharuddin, Jehangir Sabavala, Pankaj Udhas, Haseena Jethmalani, Mandira Bedi and Anupam Kher among others.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Sania Mirza reacts during her match against Japan's Aiko Nakamura at the Australian Open
Sania Mirza reacts during her match against Japan's Aiko Nakamura at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 18, 2007
Sania Mirza plays the ball during her match against Japan's Aiko Nakamura
Sania Mirza plays the ball during her match against Japan's Aiko Nakamura at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 18, 2007.
Sania Mirza looks up during her match against Japan's Aiko Nakamura
India's Sania Mirza looks up during her match against Japan's Aiko Nakamura at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 18, 2007.
Sania Mirza eyes the ball during her match against Japan's Aiko Nakamura (pic)
India's Sania Mirza eyes the ball during her match against Japan's Aiko Nakamura at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 18, 2007.
Sania-Medina move into third round
Sania Mirza and Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain moved into the third round of the women's double's event at the Australian Open at Melbourne on Friday.
The 10th-seeded Indo-Spanish pair beat the Russo-German pair of Ekaterina Bychkova and Martina Muller 6-3, 6-4 in a match that last about one-and-a-half hour.
The duo will take on sixth seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and Ai Sugiyama of Japan in the next round. Hantuchova and Sugiyama defeated Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands and Agnes Szavay of Hungry 6-3 6-2.
The 10th-seeded Indo-Spanish pair beat the Russo-German pair of Ekaterina Bychkova and Martina Muller 6-3, 6-4 in a match that last about one-and-a-half hour.
The duo will take on sixth seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia and Ai Sugiyama of Japan in the next round. Hantuchova and Sugiyama defeated Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands and Agnes Szavay of Hungry 6-3 6-2.
Leander, Sania move up in doubles
India had a fruitful day at the Australian Open with both Sania Mirza and Leander Paes sailing through to the third round of the men’s and women’s doubles, respectively.
Sania teamed up with Spaniard Anabel Median Garrigues to score a facile 6-3, 6-4 victory over Russian Ekaterina Bychkova and Martina Muller of Germany.
It took the 10th seeded pair 83 minutes to seal passage to the third round, where they will meet the sixth seeded team of Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova and Japan’s Ai Sugiyama, who defeated Michaella Krajicek of The Netherlands and Agnes Szavay of Hungary 6-3, 6-2.
Later in the evening, Paes and his partner, Martin Damm of the Czech Republic, ran away easy 6-4, 6-2 victors over the Australian combination of Nathan Healy and Robert Smeets.
The Australians were no match for the seasoned number five seeds, who won the US Open title last year, and were knocked out in 68 minutes.
Paes and Damm were on song with their first serve, winning 33 out of 38 points when they got it in. They also converted three of the five break points.
Sania teamed up with Spaniard Anabel Median Garrigues to score a facile 6-3, 6-4 victory over Russian Ekaterina Bychkova and Martina Muller of Germany.
It took the 10th seeded pair 83 minutes to seal passage to the third round, where they will meet the sixth seeded team of Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova and Japan’s Ai Sugiyama, who defeated Michaella Krajicek of The Netherlands and Agnes Szavay of Hungary 6-3, 6-2.
Later in the evening, Paes and his partner, Martin Damm of the Czech Republic, ran away easy 6-4, 6-2 victors over the Australian combination of Nathan Healy and Robert Smeets.
The Australians were no match for the seasoned number five seeds, who won the US Open title last year, and were knocked out in 68 minutes.
Paes and Damm were on song with their first serve, winning 33 out of 38 points when they got it in. They also converted three of the five break points.
Sania Mirza will play at WTA Pattaya Open
Sania Mirza will play at next month’s WTA Pattaya Open. Organisors of the event said on Wednesday that Mirza will be talking part in the $170,000 event.
The 53rd ranked player is playing in the ongoing Australian Open and is through to the second round.
Pattaya Open will take place between Feb 3-11 at the Dusit Resort in Pattaya, east of Bangkok.
The 53rd ranked player is playing in the ongoing Australian Open and is through to the second round.
Pattaya Open will take place between Feb 3-11 at the Dusit Resort in Pattaya, east of Bangkok.
Sania Mirza reacts during her second round (PIC)
Sania Mirza reacts during her second round match against Japan's Aiko Nakamura at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2007. Nakamura won in straight sets 6-3 6-2.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Sania stumbles at Nakamura hurdle
Sania Mirza could not rein in a string of unforced errors and crashed out of the Australian Open singles following a 3-6, 2-6 second round loss to Japan's Aiko Nakamura on Thursday.
Sania Mirza could not rein in a string of unforced errors and crashed out of the Australian Open singles following a 3-6, 2-6 second round loss to Japan's Aiko Nakamura on Thursday.
The Indian was erratic throughout, committing 26 unforced errors in all, as Nakamura outplayed her in just over an hour to set up a third round clash with Swiss Martina Hingis.
Sania thus failed to better her 2005 show at the Melbourne Park, where she had reached the third round before losing to eventual champion Serena Williams.Nakamura, it seemed, had learnt her lessons from the 2005 loss to Sania in the Japan Open — the only face-off between the two players before Thursday’s match — and was clearly the more disciplined, breaking the Indian thrice in the opening set.
Sania also managed to convert the two break points that came her way but never looked to be in her elements and committed 12 unforced errors compared to Nakamura's six to surrender the first set in just 33 minutes.
The second set followed almost the same script and Nakamura gave no chance to the world number 53, breaking her serve twice. The Hyderabadi wasted two break points and served poorly, committing three double faults apart from 14 unforced errors to bow out of the first Grand Slam of the year. Sania later admitted that she was not in her best form. ''There's not much you can do when you play like that. I'm obviously disappointed but all players have off days, although it hurts more because it's a Grand Slam,'' she said.
Sania said the match was a learning experience for her and she was not unduly worried about making early exits in Grand Slams. ''Every match is a learning experience. But that's the beauty of tennis. There's always tomorrow,'' she said.
''I don't think there's too much for me to worry about. I'm only 20 and have only been on the tour for two years. I like to think I've got a few years ahead of me yet,'' she added.
Later, Sania partnering with Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain defeated Sandra Kloesel of Germany and Aravane Rezai of France 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the second round of the women's doubles event.
Sania Mirza could not rein in a string of unforced errors and crashed out of the Australian Open singles following a 3-6, 2-6 second round loss to Japan's Aiko Nakamura on Thursday.
The Indian was erratic throughout, committing 26 unforced errors in all, as Nakamura outplayed her in just over an hour to set up a third round clash with Swiss Martina Hingis.
Sania thus failed to better her 2005 show at the Melbourne Park, where she had reached the third round before losing to eventual champion Serena Williams.Nakamura, it seemed, had learnt her lessons from the 2005 loss to Sania in the Japan Open — the only face-off between the two players before Thursday’s match — and was clearly the more disciplined, breaking the Indian thrice in the opening set.
Sania also managed to convert the two break points that came her way but never looked to be in her elements and committed 12 unforced errors compared to Nakamura's six to surrender the first set in just 33 minutes.
The second set followed almost the same script and Nakamura gave no chance to the world number 53, breaking her serve twice. The Hyderabadi wasted two break points and served poorly, committing three double faults apart from 14 unforced errors to bow out of the first Grand Slam of the year. Sania later admitted that she was not in her best form. ''There's not much you can do when you play like that. I'm obviously disappointed but all players have off days, although it hurts more because it's a Grand Slam,'' she said.
Sania said the match was a learning experience for her and she was not unduly worried about making early exits in Grand Slams. ''Every match is a learning experience. But that's the beauty of tennis. There's always tomorrow,'' she said.
''I don't think there's too much for me to worry about. I'm only 20 and have only been on the tour for two years. I like to think I've got a few years ahead of me yet,'' she added.
Later, Sania partnering with Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain defeated Sandra Kloesel of Germany and Aravane Rezai of France 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the second round of the women's doubles event.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Sania Mirza gestures before the start of her women's singles second round match (pic)
Sania Mirza of India gestures before the start of her women's singles second round match against Aiko Nakamura of Japan at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne. Nakamura won the match 6-3, 6-2.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Sania Mirza of India reacts while playing Olga Savchuk of Ukraine in their first round match at the Australian Open
Sania Mirza of India reacts while playing Olga Savchuk of Ukraine in their first round match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007. Mirza won in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5.
Sania Mirza returns the ball to Olga Savchuk (pic)
Sania Mirza of India returns the ball to Olga Savchuk of Ukraine in their first round match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007. Mirza won in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5
Sania Mirza hits a return during her match against Ukraine's Olga Savchuk (PIC)
Sania Mirza hits a return during her match against Ukraine's Olga Savchuk at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 16, 2007
My dad is a super coach, says Sania
Unlike many women tennis stars who share bitter relationship with their parents, Indian icon Sania Mirza enjoys the happiest of bonds with her father and mentor Imran.
The 20-year-old, who shot to fame because of her exploits in world tennis, flaunts the strong relationship with her father as a reason behind her success.
"My dad has always been the super coach. I mean, he has always been around since I was a kid and I think he understands me, obviously on a personal level. He is my father, we get along great, he's very easy going.
"That helps a lot because he is very relaxed after a match, before a match. He takes tennis only as a sport and I think that's important. He does not think that this is it. It is part of life. I think we both understand that's what makes the relationship work," she was quoted as saying by The Age.
Sania, who is playing the Australian Open here, said she had no plans to hire a coach as everything was going fine for her at the moment.
"I always say 'never fix what's not broken'. When I have a bad patch, or if I do, then maybe we can work on getting a coach," she said.
The 20-year-old, who shot to fame because of her exploits in world tennis, flaunts the strong relationship with her father as a reason behind her success.
"My dad has always been the super coach. I mean, he has always been around since I was a kid and I think he understands me, obviously on a personal level. He is my father, we get along great, he's very easy going.
"That helps a lot because he is very relaxed after a match, before a match. He takes tennis only as a sport and I think that's important. He does not think that this is it. It is part of life. I think we both understand that's what makes the relationship work," she was quoted as saying by The Age.
Sania, who is playing the Australian Open here, said she had no plans to hire a coach as everything was going fine for her at the moment.
"I always say 'never fix what's not broken'. When I have a bad patch, or if I do, then maybe we can work on getting a coach," she said.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Sania thrives on being role model as tennis booms in India
Glamour girl Sania Mirza is thriving on being a role model and says she is seeing a boom in tennis in cricket-mad India.Adored by millions in her home country, Mirza fought her way into the
Australian Open second round Tuesday with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Ukraine's Olga Savchuk.
She is under pressure to perform here after slipping down the rankings but has had a solid lead up at the Hopman Cup mixed team tournament and then the Hobart International.
The expectations from her compatriots are nothing new for the confident right-hander with the diamond-studded nose-ring, who has already proved she is capable of holding her nerve.
Since turning professional three years ago, Mirza, as a successful, independent teenager and a Muslim, has become an idol for young women in India and a symbol of female empowerment.
"It's been there always and I think it's only going to grow now so that's something I have to live with," said the 19-year-old, who has noticed many more children now playing tennis thanks to her high profile.
"Yes, there's a lot more. Tennis is really growing in India as a sport," she said.
"I got so many messages today from people saying they were going to sleep early so they could get up early in the morning to see my match on TV. I've never seen or heard of that before, people following tennis in such a big way."
Despite her success and the adoration it has brought, Mirza, has drawn controversy.
Conservative clerics have denounced her for dressing, both on and off the court, in outfits they have deemed un-Islamic and corrupting.
And when misquoted in 2005 as endorsing premarital sex, which is taboo in Islam, supporters of the clerics burnt effigies outside her family home in Hyderabad.
"It is a good feeling (being a role model) and everything has its pros and cons," she said. "But it's great when someone comes up and says I picked up a tennis racquet because of you and what's you've done.
"You need a role model to look up to and when you look at someone doing it from your own country you start believing that you can do it too.
"A lot of people are picking up tennis racquets and I just hope that five, six years from now we don't have one woman tennis player we have a few more.
"I think it's just a matter of time before we have more players coming out at this level."
Despite slipping to 53 in the world, Mirza believes she is a more complete player than when she was ranked 30 last year.
"I'm a more complete player these days, I believe I have more than when I was 30 in the world, I'm 53 now and I play much better tennis today than I did then," she said.
"I feel a lot fitter, I'm moving a lot better, probably the serve is my weakest point right now, but it's not exactly a weakness, but it's not a strength, it's just a matter of consolidating on that and playing some quality matches."
She plays Eleni Daniilidou of Greece or Japan's Aiko Nakamura in the second round.
Australian Open second round Tuesday with a 6-3, 7-5 victory over Ukraine's Olga Savchuk.
She is under pressure to perform here after slipping down the rankings but has had a solid lead up at the Hopman Cup mixed team tournament and then the Hobart International.
The expectations from her compatriots are nothing new for the confident right-hander with the diamond-studded nose-ring, who has already proved she is capable of holding her nerve.
Since turning professional three years ago, Mirza, as a successful, independent teenager and a Muslim, has become an idol for young women in India and a symbol of female empowerment.
"It's been there always and I think it's only going to grow now so that's something I have to live with," said the 19-year-old, who has noticed many more children now playing tennis thanks to her high profile.
"Yes, there's a lot more. Tennis is really growing in India as a sport," she said.
"I got so many messages today from people saying they were going to sleep early so they could get up early in the morning to see my match on TV. I've never seen or heard of that before, people following tennis in such a big way."
Despite her success and the adoration it has brought, Mirza, has drawn controversy.
Conservative clerics have denounced her for dressing, both on and off the court, in outfits they have deemed un-Islamic and corrupting.
And when misquoted in 2005 as endorsing premarital sex, which is taboo in Islam, supporters of the clerics burnt effigies outside her family home in Hyderabad.
"It is a good feeling (being a role model) and everything has its pros and cons," she said. "But it's great when someone comes up and says I picked up a tennis racquet because of you and what's you've done.
"You need a role model to look up to and when you look at someone doing it from your own country you start believing that you can do it too.
"A lot of people are picking up tennis racquets and I just hope that five, six years from now we don't have one woman tennis player we have a few more.
"I think it's just a matter of time before we have more players coming out at this level."
Despite slipping to 53 in the world, Mirza believes she is a more complete player than when she was ranked 30 last year.
"I'm a more complete player these days, I believe I have more than when I was 30 in the world, I'm 53 now and I play much better tennis today than I did then," she said.
"I feel a lot fitter, I'm moving a lot better, probably the serve is my weakest point right now, but it's not exactly a weakness, but it's not a strength, it's just a matter of consolidating on that and playing some quality matches."
She plays Eleni Daniilidou of Greece or Japan's Aiko Nakamura in the second round.
Sania Mirza cools down with an ice pack during her match against Ukraine's Olga Savchuk
Sania Mirza cools down with an ice pack during her match against Ukraine's Olga Savchuk at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 16, 2007
Sania Mirza eyes the ball during her match against Ukraine's Olga Savchuk at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 16
Sania Mirza eyes the ball during her match against Ukraine's Olga Savchuk at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 16, 2007
Sania Mirza rests with her racket in front of her face
Sania Mirza rests with her racket in front of her face during her match against Ukraine's Olga Savchuk at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 16, 2007.
Sania Mirza vs Olga Savchuk (pic)
Sania Mirza hits a return during her match against Ukraine's Olga Savchuk at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 16, 2007
Sania Mirza hits a return during her match against Ukraine's Olga Savchuk (PIC3)
Sania Mirza hits a return during her match against Ukraine's Olga Savchuk
Sania Mirza eyes the ball in her first round match against Olga Savchuk
Sania Mirza of India eyes the ball in her first round match against Olga Savchuk of Ukraine at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007
Sania overcomes Olga to advance in Australian Open
Indian tennis star Sania Mirza came through a testing first round against Ukraine`s Olga Savchuk to start her Australian Open campaign on a bright note here on Tuesday.
Sania, ranked 53 in the world, showed maturity in capitalising on her rival`s numerous double-faults and unforced errors to emerge 6-3 7-5 winner from an hour-and-a-half battle.
In the second round, she will play Aiko Nakamura of Japan who defeated Eleni Daniilidou 6-4 6-0.
In their only encounter in the past, Sania had beaten Nakamura in Japan Open in 2005.
After the victory, Sania said she had a better game now than when she enjoyed her best singles ranking of 31 in her debut season of 2005.
"I`m a more complete player these days. I believe I have more than when I was 30 in the world. I am 53 now but I play much better tennis today than I did then," said the 20-year-old player.
"I feel a lot fitter, I`m moving a lot better. Probably the serve is my weakest point right now, but it`s not exactly a weakness ... It`s just a matter of consolidating on that and playing some quality matches," she said.
Olga helped Sania`s cause in the first set by committing as many as six double faults.
The Hyderabadi girl held onto her serves and she also benefitted from frequent approaches to the net.
Sania, ranked 53 in the world, showed maturity in capitalising on her rival`s numerous double-faults and unforced errors to emerge 6-3 7-5 winner from an hour-and-a-half battle.
In the second round, she will play Aiko Nakamura of Japan who defeated Eleni Daniilidou 6-4 6-0.
In their only encounter in the past, Sania had beaten Nakamura in Japan Open in 2005.
After the victory, Sania said she had a better game now than when she enjoyed her best singles ranking of 31 in her debut season of 2005.
"I`m a more complete player these days. I believe I have more than when I was 30 in the world. I am 53 now but I play much better tennis today than I did then," said the 20-year-old player.
"I feel a lot fitter, I`m moving a lot better. Probably the serve is my weakest point right now, but it`s not exactly a weakness ... It`s just a matter of consolidating on that and playing some quality matches," she said.
Olga helped Sania`s cause in the first set by committing as many as six double faults.
The Hyderabadi girl held onto her serves and she also benefitted from frequent approaches to the net.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Sania jumps 13 places up
Sania Mirza's impressive showing at the Moorilla Open International tournament at Hobart catapulted her ranking 13 places up to place the Indian ace at 53rd spot in the WTA charts released on Monday.
Sania last week defeated world No 29 Maria Kirilenko of Russia, Romina Oprandi of Italy and Alicia Molik of Australia en route to the Hobart semifinals where she went down to 13th ranked Russian Anna Chakvetadze.
The semi-final appearance in Hobart boosted the Hyderabadi to 431 points to once again get closer to the top-50 on the ranking ladder.
The Indian ace, however, slipped one place to be 25th in the doubles ranking. Sania, partnering Molik, had reached the doubles quarterfinal at the Hobart tournament.
Among other Indian women on the tour, Shikha Uberoi (208) maintained her ranking while Ankita Bhambri (413), Isha Lakhani (421) and Rushmi Chakravarthi (422) moved up one place each.
In the men's doubles ranking, India Davis Cup captain and Asian Games gold medallist Leander Paes moved one place up to be at 10th position. His gold winning partner at Doha, Mahesh Bhupathi, also climbed one notch for the 29th position.
Sania last week defeated world No 29 Maria Kirilenko of Russia, Romina Oprandi of Italy and Alicia Molik of Australia en route to the Hobart semifinals where she went down to 13th ranked Russian Anna Chakvetadze.
The semi-final appearance in Hobart boosted the Hyderabadi to 431 points to once again get closer to the top-50 on the ranking ladder.
The Indian ace, however, slipped one place to be 25th in the doubles ranking. Sania, partnering Molik, had reached the doubles quarterfinal at the Hobart tournament.
Among other Indian women on the tour, Shikha Uberoi (208) maintained her ranking while Ankita Bhambri (413), Isha Lakhani (421) and Rushmi Chakravarthi (422) moved up one place each.
In the men's doubles ranking, India Davis Cup captain and Asian Games gold medallist Leander Paes moved one place up to be at 10th position. His gold winning partner at Doha, Mahesh Bhupathi, also climbed one notch for the 29th position.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Sania Mirza reacts after losing a point
Sania Mirza reacts after losing a point against Russia's Anna Chakvetadze in the semi finals of the Hobart International tennis tournament
Sania Mirza in action
Sania Mirza in action against Russia's Anna Chakvetadze during the semi finals of the Hobart International tennis tournament
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