‘I am a positive person’ - INTERVIEW - SANIA MIRZA

SRC : sportstar

Sania Mirza wants to get back to where she once was on the WTA Tour. “I wish to get back that winning feeling. I want to make winning a habit,” she says in a chat with Kalyan Ashok.

Sania Mirza is decidedly a self confessed movie buff and her recent favourite dialogue is from the Bollywood flick, ‘Om Shanti Om’, where the hero, Shah Rukh Khan, says “Kehte hain agar tum kisi cheez ko purey dil se chahe tho, sare kainath woh tuje milne ki koshish mein lag jatein hain.” (Meaning, if you desire anything with the whole heart, the entire Universe gets into the task of realising it for you). Sania’s desire right now is to get ba ck to the WTA Tour and start winning again. And certainly, she believes in Shah Rukh’s dialogue which appears to have a positive effect on her.

After a bright start in 2008, when she made the quarterfinals of the Hobart tournament and reached the third round of the Australian Open — where she also made the mixed doubles final with Mahesh Bhupathi — things turned gloomy for the Indian tennis diva in the later part of the season. The wrist injury that she suffered twice saw Sania miss most of the action, including the French Open and the US Open. She also had to retire from the first round of the Olympics in Beijing besides missing a host of other events.

Sania’s ranking too slid from an all time high of No. 27 (August 2007) to the current 101, but the spunky girl is determined to regain lost glory and be back at her best in 2009.

Training at Tennis Village in Bangalore along with Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna, a fitter and faster Sania showed the same old passion for hard work and a burning desire to get back to where she belonged — in the top 30 of the WTA Tour.

In an interview with Sportstar, Sania spoke of her testing times in the 2008 season and her hopes for the season ahead.

Excerpts:

Question: Sania, how fit are you now after coming back from that wrist injury? Are you physically ready for the season ahead?

Answer: I was feeling fit even when I was injured. It was just my wrist. I continued working on the rest of my body. The work I’ve put in now has been great. I feel a lot fitter, and I feel I can easily last two or three hours on the court. I am looking forward to playing again.

I don’t feel any pressure though, and I don’t think there are any expectations. I just want to be back in action.

What did the forced absence in 2008 teach you and how did you take it?

I’ve learned to be patient as a person. I’m generally very impatient, but after I suffered the wrist injury, I didn’t even know what was wrong and it took a long while to find the right doctor and right cure. I then learned the virtues of patience.

During that phase, I couldn’t watch the US Open, which had always been my favourite hunting ground. And after the Olympics, I didn’t leave my house for two or three weeks, I didn’t want to meet or see anyone. It took a lot of effort for my family to get me out. I went through many lows professionally. But personally, I got to do a lot of things I hadn’t done in a long time, like sleeping in my bed for two months at a stretch, spending quality time with my family, staying up with friends till 4 a.m. and talking a lot of normal things... I am a confident and positive person. I want to take as many positives as I can from the year. Now that I have got over that, I am feeling fine and training hard for the season ahead. It’s nice to be back and I am enjoying every moment of it.

Anything that you wish to do differently in the new season?

I wish I don’t get injured again! (laughs). That will be a big wish for the season. I am not looking ahead; what matters to me is the present and I am enjoying every moment of it. I was in Chennai recently to receive the honorary doctorate (from the MGR University). I soaked myself in that moment and I did not think of anything else. I’ve learned to live in the moment. I’m not looking at the Australian Open or the whole lot of tournaments ahead even though it’s great to know that I’ve made it to the main draw of the Australian Open despite not playing for four months.

Your record suggests that you are pretty good in doubles. How does doubles figure in your scheme of things for the new season?

I look at doubles as a great back-up. I’m too young to take a decision on that. Doubles comes naturally to me. It’s a lot of fun and sometimes when you lose early in singles and you end up making the doubles final, it’s good for your confidence. You know, I have won with different partners and so it is easy for me to fit into doubles.

What do you think of the current WTA Tour and the field?

There is a lot of depth in women’s tennis now. It’s getting tougher everyday. Justine Henin was great and a class apart — she dominated the circuit for two years. But now, it’s getting increasingly difficult, both physically and mentally, for one or two players to dominate the scene. The players are getting more and more powerful every day. Someone like Ana Ivanovic loses early in the US Open to a rank outsider. It did not happen so often in the past, but now it’s happening. There are girls, whom I have not even heard of, making waves now. It is tough out there, especially winning the No.1 slot.

How do you wish to start the new season?

I wish to get back that winning feeling. I want to make winning a habit. When you’ve been out of the competition for as long as I have been, you lose that feeling. So, I will play to win and other than that I don’t wish to visualise how the year would go.

How does it feel having received a doctorate from the Dr. MGR University?

I am honoured to receive the doctorate. It goes to show that whatever good work you do gets recognised. You know, I had to make a tough choice between tennis and academics. I was a good student, scoring high marks in languages. In fact, I passed both the Standard X and XII examinations in first class. I was dreaming of becoming a doctor. When I am done with tennis, may be I will get back to academics and major in psychology.

Sania Mirza's father blames payment delay on misunderstanding

Sania Mirza's father on Tuesday denied reports that the family had refused to pay for the tennis player's security and said the delay was a result of miscommunication with the government.

Imran Mirza said in a statement that the family never thought of not paying the amount.

"I would like to clarify that security was provided to Sania based on perceptions of a threat to her safety and security," he said.

"We were given to understand that the state, which has always taken justifiable pride for her achievements, felt responsible for providing the security for her, when she needed it. On several occasions when we met the officials concerned we were given to understand that Sania's security for that particular period was part of the state's continued commitment and interest in her progress as a player who had brought laurels to the country," he said.

"The delay in making the payment was caused due to our misunderstanding of the situation. We have already deposited the money into the government treasury as there is no question of us, as parents, shirking the responsibility of paying for our daughter's security," he added.

Sania's security withdrawn

Ace tennis star Sania Mirza was one of the defaulters who"failed" to make payments of user fee for the security she had obtained from state police, said Hyderabad City Commissioner of Police, B Prasada Rao today.

Speaking to reporters here, the commissioner admitted that notices were issued to Sania and others asking them to make necessary payments for the security obtained from City Security Wing (CSW).

Refusing to divulge further details on the number of defaulters, he said"police have certain guidelines to recover the charges for security provided to different personalities."

" They are supposed to make advance payments. If anybody fails to make payment of the service, we issue notices to them", the commissioner said. Sania was given a gunman each in two shifts. Her security was withdrawn after she"failed"to pay security charges, sources said.

Can Sania Mirza regian her form ? (pic)

A new year and a new Tourneament. Can Sania mirza wrestle out the bad form this year ? 

Oz open : Sania gets a direct entry

SRC : The hindu

Sania Mirza, who is on a comeback trail after a four-month lay-off due to an injury, was delighted on Wednesday when she was informed that she had been given a direct entry into the Australian Open tennis tournament which is to be held in Melbourne next month.

Speaking to The Hindu after a gruelling practice session here, Sania expressed her joy at this very good news. “I think the New Year seems to have started on right note for me,” she said.

“Right now, I have no problem with my wrist. In fact, I am hitting the ball harder and better than before. I am really comfortable and enjoying every moment on the court on my comeback,” she said.

The best Indian women’s tennis player also said that 19-year-old Vania King of USA will be her doubles partner, with whom she had already won the Morocco Open doubles title in May this year.

Before the Australian Open, Sania, who happens to be the only Indian player to be invited, will represent Asia in the inter-Continental exhibition championship along with Chinese Zheng Lie.

Year 2008 - bad for Sania Mirza

Year 2008 was not so great for Sania Mirza, will 2009 show any change ?

Sania mirza powers her shot (pic)

Sania mirza powers her shot - Archive

Sania service - Archive - pic

Can Sania climb back to top ranks again?

A long fight back to top ranks (pic)

Sania in Gym :)

Sania will rise again

Sania Mirza has what it takes to become a top-30 player again, says coach Scott Davidoff, who has been training her along with Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna.“I see her as one of the top women players of the world. The prolonged break has, in fact, done her good and it is nice to see her healthy and hitting as hard as ever. She is lot quicker and, definitely, her big forehand is in really good shape now, and so is the first serve,” he said.

He said Sania needed match-play to get back her confidence. “She has been a positive person and I am sure she will do it,” he said.

“When you are making a comeback, everything might not fall into place quickly and one needs to be patient. Also, it is important to have the right folks around you — trainer, coach, family and friends…and set little goals,” he said.

Sania's car number - 786

Sania Mirza bought a swanky new Mercedes Benz. She made an application to the RTA authorities to allot her a fancy number for her car – ‘786’. 
Sania Mirza bagged the number after outbidding a city based businessman. Sania shelled out about 31,000 and bagged the number.

Sania mirza to focus on 'singles'

Tennis icon Sania Mirza feels that time has come to be back into action and said she will focus on 'singles', which still remains her priority.

''I am pretty young, I am just 22, to focus on doubles.

''Even though doubles gives me confidence when I am not doing good in singles, my priority remains singles,'' Sania told NDTV today.

However, she was elated on the fact she has been paired with former Davis cupper Mahesh Bhupati to compete in mixed doubles competition in the Australian Open. The duo made the final last year in their maiden event as a pair. 

The Hyderabadi-player has recently participated in a three-week training camp at the Tennis Village in Bangalore with Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna to sharpen her skills and fitness, and get back to shape again.

She further admitted that post-Olympics was a bad phase of her life. ''Every sportsperson goes through low in career. And I too has gone though that phase. It was infact painful for me to watch the US Open.'' But there was my family, friends and others to help me come out of the dark phase. ''I feel lucky on this part'', she added.

On people commenting on her that she has been losing focus on her game due to her high-profile personality, Sania replied, ''This is not new for me to hear all this things from the public. 

People have opinion on everything. But it would be dumb on my part to say that tennis is not my priority.

''It is because of tennis for which I am here and who I am,'' she stressed.

She admitted that 2008 has been altogether remained a good year for India in sports, ''Abhinav Bindra's gold in Beijing Olympics definitely was the best thing happened to the country, which had never happened in the recent years.

''Yesterday's win by the Indian cricket team by six wickets over England was also a glory to the country,'' Sania, a cricket buff and a big fan of master blaster Sachin Tendulkar, said.

She also praised badminton star player Saina Nehwal for her recent accomplishments.

''Its a good thing that people have started following other sports than cricket. It will boost the sports and encourage players.'' She further added, ''I feel pride to be an athlete of India and I definitely hope to do better. I am a lot more patient now and the focus is rightly on the present moment and making the most of it in the next season.'' 

I had got into a depression: Sania Mirza

SRC : DNA

Sania Mirza admits that it has been quite a low for her since the Olympics.

You would remember this image — an overwrought Sania Mirza wincing in pain as she retired hurt from the first round of the Beijing Olympics in August, the wrist injury thereafter keeping her out of action. This was followed by a fall to world No.101 from the exhilaration of top-30 (world No.27). Depression was inevitable. “It’s definitely been a low for me, especially after the Olympics. I had got into a depression,” a refreshingly cheerful Sania told DNA on Monday. 

She arrived in Bangalore for a three-week tennis camp, as a run-up to her exhibition match in Hong Kong (JB group Classic tennis tournament) in January 2009, followed by the WTA event at Hobart and the Australian Open, where she will play mixed doubles alongside Bhupathi.

She was forthright about feeling despondent. “I didn’t want to watch the US Open because I couldn’t play. I didn’t get out of the house for two three weeks. I did not want to meet people. I think that’s when my friends and family counted,” she said. “They have been there and supported me - whether it was Mahesh (Bhupathi) or my dad or my friend Megha, who is also my manager. It’s a part and parcel of our career and we need to deal with it.”

Happily, the injury and the pain both seemed to be a thing of the past on Monday, as the tennis player went through a two-and-a-half-hour long training session with Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna at the Tennis Village. “I am feeling great right now. I don’t regret anything that has happened in the past. I am a positive person and I am just looking forward to a good new year, and trying to stay healthy,” she said. 

She said her struggle had been educational. “I have learnt a lot in the past few days. It’s taught me to be patient; it’s taught me to accept things. Tennis is a part of my life and not my life,” she said. 

It was a bright and sunny Monday morning when Sania, along with Mahesh Bhupathi and Bopanna, set foot on the synthetic courts at the Tennis Village, for yet another training session as part of their three-week camp here in Bangalore. 

Sania, who has been in the city for three weeks and is staying at the KSCA club house, is being trained by American coach Scott Davidoff. “It’s been a tough year professionally but personally it has been great. I got so much time to spend at home, see my parents both together for a span of two months which rarely used to happen because of my tours. I have become much closer to a lot of my friends and did normal teenage stuff like going for coffee which I don’t get do very often,” Sania said.

It was interesting to notice that in between the serves and shots, Sania kept asking for the score. And no, it was not 6-3 or 6-4 that she wanted to hear but an update on the India-England Test. Her love for cricket is well-documented, and she has been spotted at many games. And not just the international variety - she was at the Chinnaswamy stadium to watch the Ranji match between Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka for two consecutive days. “I am like one of the boys. I have always loved cricket. I have always watched cricket although I am pathetic at playing it. If I was a guy I would definitely be playing cricket,” said the 22-year-old. “I am in fact going to go and catch up with the 
match now.”

Sania mirza ready to comptete again

After an injury-marred 2008 which saw her ranking plummet to outside the top hundred, Sania Mirza looks forward to a new season with hope. Sania, who missed out on most of the action during the year, is now raring to go and a three-week training camp at the Tennis Village here with Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna has helped her get into shape.

After a session of working out and practice, Sania told The Hindu here said that she wanted to get back “that winning feeling.”

“You lose that if you are out of competition as long as I have been. I wish to get that back and make winning a habit, now that I have got over all injury-related problems and am feeling pretty good, physically and mentally,” she said.

Sania said she did not wish to set goals for the season ahead. “I would rather live and play for the moment instead of looking ahead too much. Right now, I am not even thinking about Australian Open, for which I have got a slot in the main draw,” she said.

The break did hurt Sania, who said she could not even beat to watch the U.S. Open, her “favourite hunting grounds” on TV. But she managed to cope with those dark moments and learnt the virtues of patience. “I am a lot more patient now and the focus is rightly on the present moment and making the most of it.” On the 2009 season, she said: “Nobody is going to dominate and lot new faces are there in the top 100 and the competition is going to be hard and, certainly, the No. 1 is spot is (up for grabs).”

“For me, it is like a new beginning and whatever I am taking into the year is a bonus. I am ready to compete again.”

Dr. Sania Mirza ...

“When I started to play tennis, I wanted to be a doctor. I had to choose between tennis and being a doctor and I chose tennis. Now, thanks to MGR University, both my dreams have come true,” said tennis star Sania Mirza, when she was conferred with the degree of doctor of letters by MGR Educational and Research Institute University, here on Thursday.

Attired in a dress befitting the occasion, Sania entered the auditorium making the photographers go berserk. She said, “I feel honoured. A special thanks to MGR University.”

Responding to the University’s wish that she start a tennis academy in Bangalore, Chennai or Hyderabad, Sania said she would certainly consider it.

Sania, now ranked 101, said she is enjoying her training sessions with Mahesh Bhupathi, Rohan Bopanna and the others in Bangalore.

“I am training five to six hours a day with an American coach and am enjoying it. We are punishing our bodies. In a way it’s relaxing to come here,” she said.

Goals for the season

On her goals for the new season Sania, accompanied by her father Imran Mirza, said smiling, “I am just living for the moment. At the moment, I am enjoying the doctorate.”

Giving the welcome address, Prof. R.M. Vasagam, Vice-President (Administration), MGR University, said that the University was proud to award the doctorate to Sania for achieving excellence in sports and for being the first woman to be seeded in a Grand Slam event.

A.C. Shanmugam, Chancellor, MGR University, said Sania had been a role model for all the tennis players who were aspiring to reach international standards.

Sania mirza interview : Sportstar - starting afreash

Sania Mirza, who was out with a wrist injury, is on a comeback trail. “By all means, this is the beginning of a new chapter in my career. Hope things will move in the right direction,” she says in a chat with V. V. Subrahmanyam. 

                                             P. V. SIVAKUMAR

For the first time in more than a decade, India’s tennis sensation, Sania Mirza, was with her parents for nearly four months, courtesy an injury on her right wrist. But this wasn’t the kind of break that she was looking for. Sania, after all, has been eager to get back on court, her passion for the sport and the desire to experience the winning feeling being the driving factors in her comeback trail.

Sania, 22, said she was really happy and feeling very good to be back on court for such long hours. “The most important thing is that I am back and so is my confidence,” she said in a chat with Sportstar.

For someone who is preparing to make a comeback during the high-profile, Continental exhibition tournament in Hong Kong in December (she will be representing Asia in the tournament that will feature players such as Jelena Jankovic, Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams) it is definitely difficult to be forced into a long break from competitive circuit. “But I am looking at it this way. Okay, let me deem the break as an off-season and start afresh my preparations,” Sania pointed out.

Watched by her father Imran Mirza and helped by coach Ganesh Raman and two Hyderabad players — Manchit Madan and Chetan Panditi — Sania seemed to have regained her confidence. “You go through a lean phase when you tend to get self-doubts because of the break. But the most important thing is you are coming out of that with all the support of the family and well-wishers. So, obviously, I am not looking too far ahead right now,” she explained.

“The immediate focus will be on the National camp in Bangalore from December 1 to 25, featuring Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna among others,” Sania revealed.

How difficult was it to be away from the action?

“Well, being denied the chance to compete, for reasons beyond my control, in the big league is one thing that I badly missed. The feeling of winning is something that cannot be substituted by anything else,” said Sania.

What are the grey areas of concern?

“Well, for any sportsperson the solitary objective is to keep improving. And considering that I am back after a long gap, it might not be too easy,” she said.

“This is the reason why I don’t want to think or give an impression that I can start winning matches straightaway,” added Sania, who is now ranked No. 99 in the world.

“However, I can say that I am in the best frame of mind for the big league again,” said Sania, who will be helped by Sven Groeneveld, who also coaches the World No. 1 Jelena Jankovic.

What kept her going despite the injury?

“The passion for the sport, the desire to come back and play against all the top players in the world,” said Sania. “Honestly, I was never worried about the numbers (rankings). Even when I was World No. 27, my focus was on how well I played on a given day, I did not give too much importance to rankings.”

“By all means, this is the beginning of a new chapter in my career. Hope things will move in the right direction,” she added.

Sania is well aware of the challenges ahead. “We know that it is not going to be easy. And also that training and coming back to competitive circuit are two different things altogether,” she said.

Imran is hopeful that Sania would get a direct entry to the Australian Open next year. “The cut-off ranking is around 100 and Sania should be there. She needs a couple of good wins to start with or else she will drop in rankings,” he pointed out.

“I am very keen to see how she holds up in the highly competitive big league as we will be there in Melbourne a week before the Australian Open,” said Imran, who is immensely pleased that Sania has got the power back in her strokes, especially her forehand.

Honorary doctorate degree for Sania

 M Annadurai, Mission Director, Chandrayaan-I and tennis ace Sania Mirza will be conferred honorary doctorate degrees by the Dr M G R Educational and Reserarch Institute University at its 17th convocation ,Chennai on December 6. 

Now what should we call her . Dr. Sania mirza ???

Sania @ banglore camp

India’s top tennis trio — Mahesh Bhupathi, Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna — get together for a pre-season training camp to sharpen their skills and fitness.

This camp was initiated by Mahesh and the trio have begun their three-week stint under the watchful eyes of American coach Davidoff and physical trainer Shayamalan Vallabhjee from South Africa.

On Sania, Shayamalan said: “Sania is very talented and she will be given training to improve on her lateral movements, so that she gets to the ball quickly. Once she is there, she knows how to put it away.”

Sania crashes out of top 100 : WTA rankings

India’s ace tennis player Sania Mirza has slipped out of the top 100 in the latest WTA singles rankings chart.

Mirza, who has been out of action since the Beijing Olympics has dropped out of the top 100 for the first time in nearly three years.

The Indian has seen a massive dip in her rankings since undergoing a wrist surgery in April. She made an early comeback on the circuit with the DFS Classic tournament in Birmingham in June which though was followed by a series of early exits.

Sania retired in tears from the first round of her maiden Olympics after the pain on her wrist recurred. Later, she pulled out of the US Open.