Sania & tennis - a childhood story

Source :rediff

Sania Mirza appears in a cool new avatar in a new health drink ad.

"When I was a child my mother insisted I had milk four times a day," said Sania, when asked about her fondness of health drinks.

"I only had milk when Bournvita was added to it," she said.

"Also, it tasted good."

Sania Mirza said on Friday that she was fortunate to have parents who understood their child's needs.

"I was lucky to have been born in a family that understood sport," said Sania.

"They never weighed me down by their expectations and allowed me to do what I wanted.

"That's how I took to tennis."    

Sleeping beauty : sania mirza (pic)

Sania mirza at function of  endorse 'Cadbury Bournvita Li'l Champs'.

Sania mirza & 'Cadbury Bournvita Li'l Champs'.

Sania mirza to endorse 'Cadbury Bournvita Li'l Champs'.

Sania mirza to endorse 'Cadbury Bournvita Li'l Champs'.

Cadbury India has roped in tennis player Sania Mirza to endorse its newly launched variant, 'Cadbury Bournvita Li'l Champs'.

As part of the promotional campaign, the company will launch a television commercial showcasing's Mirza transformation from a toddler to a tennis champ after the consumption of the new product during the 1st week of March.

Apart from television, Cadbury will also run promotional campaigns across media platforms including outdoor, Internet and the radio.

"The core proposition of Bournvita Li'l Champs is to provide mental alertness and physical fitness in the age group of 2-5 years," said Cadbury India executive director-marketing Sanjay Purohit.

Sania posing for TVS scooty

Sania mirza posing for TVS scooty

Sania mirza in tvs-scooty ad

Sania mirza in tvs-scooty ad

Sania Mirza moves up

Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza continued her climb up the ladder in the women's rankings.Sania moved up 12 places to 75th in singles list, issued by WTA on Monday

Sania, who had lost in the second round at the Dubai Tennis Championship last week, has 806 points in her kitty. In the doubles though she remained static at 63rd with 1532 points. 

Sania Mirza’s campaign ends

Sania Mirza’s campaign in the $2 million Dubai Open came to an end when she and her Italian partner Mara Santangelo lost 3-6, 3-6 to top-seeded pair of Cara Black of Zimbabwe and Liezel Huber of the US in the second round on Wednesday.

Sania’s singles campaign ended on Tuesday after she lost her second round match to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia.

The Indo-Italian duo had advanced to the doubles pre-quarter finals after getting a walkover from Poland’s Urszula Radwanska and Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland in the first round.

An injury to Radwanska forced the Polish-Swiss pair to give away the match to their opponents.

Sania's double magic in pre-Q

Sania Mirza and her Italian partner Mara Santangelo advanced to the doubles pre-quarterfinals of the $2 million Dubai Tennis Championships after getting a walkover from Poland's Urszula Radwanska and Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland in the first round. 
An injury to Radwanska forced the Polish-American pair to give away the match to their opponents. 
Sania and Sanatangelo now have a tough job at hand as they face top seeded pair of Zimbabwean Cara Black and American Lizel Huber in the second round. 

Sania Mirza of India selects a racket

Sania Mirza of India selects a racket during a break during her match against Ekaterina Makarova of Russia on the second day of the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships February 16, 2009.

 

Sania Mirza returns the ball to Kaia

Sania Mirza of India returns the ball to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia during their match on the third day of the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships February 17, 2009.

Sania Mirza and Kaia Kanepi

Sania Mirza of India reacts during her match against Kaia Kanepi of Estonia on the third day of the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships February 17, 2009.

Sania Mirza defeated by Kaia Kanepi ..pic

Sania Mirza of India serves to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia during their match on the third day of the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships February 17, 2009.

 

sania miza pics, sania photos,

Sania Mirza of India returns the ball to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia during their match on the third day of the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships February 17, 2009

Sania mirza dubai open photos

Sania Mirza of India looks up at a screen replay during her match against Ekaterina Makarova of Russia on the second day of the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships February 16, 2009

Sania Mirza dubai open pics

Sania Mirza of India returns the ball to Ekaterina Makarova of Russia on the second day of the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships in Dubai February 16, 2009

Sania Mirza returns the ball to Ekaterina

Sania Mirza of India returns the ball to Ekaterina Makarova of Russia on the second day of the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships February in Dubai 16, 2009.

Sania vs Kaia Kanepi pic

Sania Mirza of India returns the ball to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia during their match on the third day of the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships February 17, 2009.

Sania @ dubaio open ..pic

Sania Mirza of India returns the ball to Ekaterina Makarova of Russia during their match on the second day of the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships February 16, 2009

Kanepi stops Sania

Sania Mirza crashed out of the USD two million Dubai Tennis Championships after losing her second round match 5-7, 2-6 to world number 24 Kaia Kanepi of Estonia here on Tuesday.

Sania, who was playing her third match in as many days, squandered a 4-2 lead in the opening set and never recovered after being broken in the eighth game.

Sania converted second break point in the third game to break the world number 24 and surge ahead.

The Hyderabadi was down 0-30 in the next game but won four points in a row to make it 3-1, not allowing her dangerous opponent to break back.

However, the Estonian raised her game and kept herself in the battle by holding her serve in the fifth and seventh games and then broke Sania in the eighth before holding her serve in the ninth to make it 5-4.

The match grew in intensity as both the players fought hard for each point. 

Sania saved a set point in the 10th game to keep her challenge alive in the first set but could not repeat her success in the 12th game and handed the first set to Kanepi after a 43-minute battle.

It was not a good start to the second set as Sania struggled to hold her serve and was outplayed by Kanepi.

The Indian saved four breakpoints in the second game but could not stop Kanepi from converting the fifth and was broken again in the fourth game, which gave the Estonian a healthy 4-0 lead.

Sania broke Kanepi in the seventh game to recover to 2-5 from 0-5 but it was difficult to erase the game deficit and make a comeback.

Sania kept on fighting, saving three match points in the eighth game but Kanepi soon wrapped up the issue by converting the fourth chance.

Sania will get 60 WTA ranking points and a prize money of USD 10,275.

Sania marches @ Dubai Open ; in round two

Sania Mirza continued her impressive form this year as she moved into the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championship with a straight-set win over Russian Ekaterina Makarova. 

The Indian ace, who lost in the final of the Pattaya Open, continued her impressive form to overpower her Russian counterpart 7-5, 6-2 last night. 

Sania, who was given a wild-card entry into this 56-woman tournament, appeared sluggish at the beginning, and Makarova took full advantage by breaking her in the third game. 

But once the 87th-ranked Indian's forehand became more consistent, she broke back in the eighth game and then dominated her rival. 

Sania will now take on the 16th-seeded Estonian Kaia Kanepi with the winner likely to face the former world number one Jelena Jankovic in the third round.

Sania jumped 39 places

Her sizzling run at the Pattaya Open, where she made the title clash, has propelled Sania Mirza back to the top 100 as she jumped 39 places to be at 87 in the latest WTA rankings issued on Monday.

The semi-final appearance in the doubles competition at the same event also helped Sania gain seven places and she is now 63 in the doubles ranking.

Sania's ranking had plummeted to 126 as she spent almost half the 2008 season out of courts due to a wrist injury.

Sania Mirza's shot

Sania Mirza returns a shot to Russia's Vera Zvonareva during their final round match at the PTT Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament February 15, 2009

Sania Mirza returns a shot to Russia's Vera Zvonareva

Sania Mirza returns a shot to Russia's Vera Zvonareva during their final round match at the PTT Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament February 15, 2009

SAnia with runner up trophy

Russia's Vera Zvonareva (R) and India's Sania Mirza hold up their Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament trophies after the final match February 15, 2009

Sania Mirza pose with their trophy..

Vera Zvonareva of Russia, left, and runner-up Sania Mirza of India, right, pose with their trophies after the final match of the Pattaya Open tennis tournament in Pattaya, southeastern Thailand Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009. Zvonareva defeated Mirza in straight sets 7-5, 6-1 to capture the title

Vera Zvonareva stops Sania's victory march

Sania Mirza's quest for her second WTA singles title continued after the Indian ace went down fighting 5-7, 1-6 against world No 5 and top seed Vera Zvonareva in the final of the $220,000 Pattaya Open in Thailand on Sunday.

Sania fought her heart out against her formidable opponent but the Russian drew from her vast experience to halt the India's brilliant run in the one hour and 17 minutes contest.

The first set was fiercely fought and both the players traded many a breaks but unforced errors in pressure situations did Sania in.

Once she lost the first set, and squandered the chance to break Zvonareva in the opening game of the second set, Sania was all but out of the match.

Nevertheless, Sania's sizzling run in the event will boost her confidence and give a fillip to her plummeting WTA ranking which is currently 126th.

Sania could have got an early lead at the start of the match as she had two break points in the opening game but squandered both.

Sania then broke Zvonareva in the third game but the Russian did not allow Sania to run away with the lead as she fought back and broke the Indian in the very next game.

After trading breaks in the ninth and 10th games, Zvonareva held her serve in the 11th to make it 6-5.

It was imperative for Sania to win the next game and stretch the set to a tie-breaker but the Russian pounced on the second breakpoint to wrap it up in her favour.

Sania made a good start to the second set, earning a breakpoint in the opening game but Zvonareva warded off the danger.

The first three games went with serve before Zvonareva converted a breakpoint in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead and consolidated it further by holding her serve in the next game.

Trailing 1-4, a comeback looked difficult for the Indian. The Russian broke Sania once more and then held her serve to claim the title.

sania miza photos ..

Sania Mirza reacts during her semi-final round match against Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova at the PTT Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament February 14, 2009.

Sania reaches final..pic

Sania Mirza gestures after her win over Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova during their semi-final round match tat the PTT Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament February 14, 2009

Sania Mirza waves to fans ...

Sania Mirza waves to fans after her win over Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova during their semi-final round match tat the PTT Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament February 14, 2009

Sania defeats Magdalena to reach Pattaya Open final

Sania Mirza earned a shot at her second WTA singles title after edging past world number 51 Magdalena Rybarikova in the semifinals of the USD 220,000 Pattaya Open here today.
The unseeded Indian, ranked 126th in WTA charts, defeated her eighth seeded Slovakian opponent 6-4 5-7 6-1 in a two-hour long contest.

The last time Sania reached the singles final of a WTA event was in 2007 when she made the summit clash of the Stanford classic.

This is for the fourth time in her career that Sania has reached the singles final of a WTA tour event.

She had become the first Indian player to win a WTA title when she won the Hyderabad Open in 2005. In the same year, she had reached the finals of the Forest Hill event in United States.

Sania broke Rybarikova in the fourth game of the deciding third set to give herself a 3-1 lead. She converted first of the three breakpoints, which she earned after the Slovakian double faulted.

Sania consolidated the lead after holding her serve in the next game before breaking Rybarikova to make it 5-1.

The Indian then served out the match, converting her third match point

Sania Mirza returns a shot to Vitalia

Sania Mirza returns a shot to Russia's Vitalia Diatchenko at the PTT Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament February 12, 2009

Sania Mirza reacts during her quarter-final

Sania Mirza reacts during her quarter-final round match against Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn at the PTT Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament February 13, 2009

Sania's shot..pic

Sania Mirza returns a shot to Russia's Vitalia Diatchenko at the PTT Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament February 12, 2009

Sania Mirza returns a shot .. pic

Sania Mirza returns a shot to Russia's Vitalia Diatchenko at the PTT Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament February 12, 2009

Pattaya Open: Sania in semis

Sania Mirza  stormed in to the semi-finals of the Pattaya Open, upsetting home favourite and sixth seed Tamarine Tanasugarn 7-5, 6-4 in Pattaya, Thailand, on Friday.

The Indian ace, who recently won the mixed doubles crown at the Australian Open  along with Mahesh Bhupathi , will meet eighth seed Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia, who shocked second seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-4, 6-1.

Israel's Shahar Peer and Russia's  Vera Zvonareva  will contest the other semi-final.

The seventh seeded Peer won a hard-fought quarter-final, beating Russia's Vera Dushevina 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, while Zvonareva had little difficulty in accounting for firfh seed Peng Shuai of China 6-2, 6-3 in another quarter-final.

On Thursday, Sania thrashed Russian qualifier Vitalia Diatchenko 6-4, 6-0 to reach the quarter-finals of the US $220,000 tournament

Sania reaches Pattaya Open quarterfinals

A confident Sania Mirza thrashed Russian qualifier Vitalia Diatchenko 6-4, 6-0 to reach the quarterfinals of the USD 220,000 Pattaya Open tennis tournament on Thursday.

Sania sent the Russian opponent packing in just one hour and two minutes in the second round match.

The Russian, who had upset third seeded Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia in the first round was totally outclassed and had to surrender meekly to her Indian opponent.

Both the players held their serves till the eighth game of the first set. Sania broke the Russian in the ninth game to go up 5-4 and then won the first set by holding her serve.

The Indian then showed her ruthless form by winning all the six games of the second set, finishing off each game with ease.

Sania-Santangelo sails to Pattaya Open semis

Sania Mirza and her Italian partner Mara Santangelo sailed past Russians Elena Bovina and Ksenia Pervak in straight sets to enter the doubles semifinals of the WTA Pattaya Open here today.
The third seeded Indo-Italian duo, who got a first-round bye, defeated the unseeded Russians 6-4 6-3 in one hour and nine minutes in quarterfinals of USD 220,000 hard-court event.

Sania and Santangelo will next meet winners of the other quarterfinal between Thai wildcards Nungnadda Wannasuk and Varatchaya Wongteanchai and the second-seeded Kazakh-Thai pairing of Yaroslava Shvedova and Tamarine Tanasugarn.

Sania and Santangelo broke their rivals in the second game itself, racing to a 4-1 lead but the Russians broke back to reduce the deficit to 4-5.

But the recovery came too late and the Indo-Italian duo wrapped up the first set in little over 30 minutes.

The second set did not start well for Sania and Santangelo who lost their serve in the first game itself. But the third seeds earned a couple of break points to win the very next game.

Sania and Santangelo broke their rivals in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead before sealing the match.

Sania is through to second round of the singles as well

Sania Mirza serve

Sania Mirza serves to Thailand's Nicha Lertpitaksinchai at the PTT Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament February 10, 2009

Sania Mirza returns a shot...pic

Sania Mirza returns a shot to Thailand's Nicha Lertpitaksinchai at the PTT Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament February 10, 2009.

Sania Mirza returns a shot to Nicha..pic

Sania Mirza returns a shot to Thailand's Nicha Lertpitaksinchai at the PTT Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament February 10, 2009

Sania Mirza reacts during her match..pic

Sania Mirza reacts during her match against Thailand's Nicha Lertpitaksinchai at the PTT Pattaya Women's Open tennis tournament February 10, 2009

Pattaya Open: Sania Mirza reaches 2nd round

Sania Mirza  rallied from a break down in both sets to overcome unheralded Nicha Lertpitaksinchai of Thailand 7-6 (4), 7-5 Tuesday to reach the second round of the Pattaya Open.

Mirza trailed 3-5 in both sets against the 945th-ranked Nicha before winning in just under two hours.

"She didn't play like she is 945. She hit like she is in the top 50," Mirza said. "It's always difficult to play with someone you don't know in the first round. But I'm happy to raise my level and pulled through."

Sania sizzles up

Sania Mirza improved her ranking by a place to climb to 126 on the singles chart in the WTA rankings released on Monday. In doubles Sania moved up two places to 70.

Sania - pay goes up

Sania Mirza's victorious streak at the Australian Open with Mahesh Bhupathi seems to have served up aces in a completely different arena - ad circuit.

Sania is set to sign two new ad deals besides an estimated 25- 30 per cent jump in endorsement fee.

"Winning major events such as the Australian Open always has a positive effect.

A couple of new deals with an automotive company and F& B major will be announced very soon," says Anirban Das Blah, VP, Globosport, which handles her account.

Das also confirms that the companies are "offering more and more money" but Sania is focused on getting her ranking back. "She is intent on being fully fit to play her best tennis. Rather than deals, Sania wants to concentrate on the game," adds Das, who feels Sania has a huge year ahead with a line- up of brands.

Ad guru Prahlad Kakkar, on the other hand, feels there is a lot of excitement in the market because of the win Down Under.

"Sania is a young, successful and modern woman which will always put her in good stead. Plus, this Indian victory in an unexpected territory came as a surprise," explains ad whiz Kakkar.

Sania's endorsement kitty boasts of six brands - including Sprite, Deutsche Bank, Adidas, Tata Tea and GVK Industries - with the fee in the range of Rs 1 crore per deal. "The biggest challenge for Sania is to be consistent in her performances.

If she can't be steady, the 'star' status won't be easy to grab like Indian cricketers. She just has to capitalise on this big win now," adds Kakkar.

What's interesting is market experts believe Brand Sania took a beating during her absence from the court due to the injury.

Das, however, refutes it saying the tennis ace renewed deals with Sprite and Deutsche Bank within few months. "If Sachin Tendulkar doesn't perform in two tournaments, Brand Sachin is hardly damaged. The same goes for Sania whose brand value can't be linked to a lull period," says Das.

Also, few marketers believe the economic slowdown will play a spoilsport with Sania as well as Mahesh not to be bombarded with deals as expected after a major win. "No company would like to pump in money at a time when the financial crunch is already putting pressure.

They would rather wait for the dust to settle down before offering deals," says an industry insider.

Courtesy: Mail Today  

Sania gets clearance

Sania Mirza was given medical clearance to return to the professional tennis circuit, when she sought the advice of physiotherapist Dr. Jatin Chaudhary here on Thursday.

The Ausralian Open mixed doubles champion, Sania flew down to the Capital specifically to consult the doctor who had weaved ‘magic’ in curing her wrist injury some time back, for a suspected abdominal muscle tear.

In the event, Sania met the doctor before and after a spell of tennis at the DLTA Complex, and was relieved to be without pain and get the green signal.

“She is absolutely fine. She came in the morning and we had a normal physiotherapy session and a physical test. It is a muscle pull. Technically, we call it grade II. Only grade III is serious. She is 100 per cent fit now and can play,” said Dr. Jatin Chaudhary.

Interview with Sania Mirza

Source :CNN IBN (http://ibnlive.in.com/news/exclusive-sania-hopes-for-more-grand-slam-glory/84328-5-single.html)

On Monday morning Australian Open Grand Slam champions Mahesh Bhupathi, Sania Mirza and Yuki Bhambri returned home to a grand welcome. While Mahesh Bhuopthi won his 11th Grand Slam title partnering Sania in the mixed doubles, 16-year-old Yuki Bhambri joined the legendary Krishnans and Leander Paes as a junior Grand Slam champion. Sania left the nightmare of terrible injury behind to pocket her first Grand Slam trophy. The smile is back on her face and she is back to where she belongs. So much promise and so much to relish, Indian tennis has never been so healthier.

Gaurav Kalra: A very warm welcome here on CNN-IBN. A big congratulations to you.

Sania Mirza: Thank you.

Gaurav Kalra: Let me begin asking you that no matter what happens in the rest of your career you will always be known as a Grand Slam champion. How does that make you feel?

Sania Mirza: Great. I think this is something we all play for all our lives. When you pick up a tennis racket, you dream of being a Grand Slam champion one day and there are very few fortunate ones who's dreams have come true. I am really excited. This is a feeling which is very difficult to describe in words. I know that even if I retire tomorrow, I am going to be a Grand Slam champion.

Gaurav Kalra: Vanish that thought Sania because the wonderful stories have just begun. Looking at that remarkable ceremony where we saw an Indian pair winning the Australian Open. However, the reception has not been very bad since you have come back - the crowd at the Mumbai, Hyderabad airport - it has been wonderful.

Sania Mirza: It has been wonderful. I think this is India's specialty that when you come back to India, back home you get so much of warmth from everyone that you can feel it. When I and Mahesh were on the flight it was so great to see so many smiles. I am very thankful to every single Indian who supported us through this and I am very excited to be back.

Gaurav Kalra: Now you have just come back home and I know the reception back at home is very special. You spent a lot of time at home last year but now you are a Grand Slam champion so have you started demanding your mother that what am I going to get to eat?

Sania Mirza: Honestly, today I am eating everything. There is a huge chocolate cake which I have just cut after coming back. I am going to eat that to start with, I will also have Hyderabadi biryani. It has been really long since I have been out so today is the day to let myself just go. It has been really hectic, I didn't get a minute to sit down and say wow! I guess it is still sinking in. All my loved ones are here so it is very special.

Gaurav Kalra: You are also the first Indian woman to become a Grand Slam champion. There have been several men who have done it in the past, does that feel a little bit more special?

Sania Mirza: No. As I said it is still sinking in. Though people have been telling me that you created history, I don't look at it this way. It was my first Grand Slam and hopefully there is lot more to come. As a woman I am happy that I brought Grand Slam back to India and I am happy that this will take tennis to a different level in India and I think it was even more special because it came with Mahesh.

Gaurav Kalra: At times in all of this celebration we tend to miss the big picture. The matter of fact is that you both play wonderful tennis. Talk us through the week, if I am not mistaken you missed couple of sets throughout this entire tournament.

Sania Mirza: Yes, we missed just one set in the quarters. We didn't start off that strong because we hadn't played together for a while and we were getting use to each other but as the week went by we got better and better and in the final we both came up with our best game.

Gaurav Kalra: Was Mahesh a little bit nervous before the Mixed Doubles final because he had just lot mens’ doubles title. Sania did you have to encourage him that come on Mahesh we can do this?

Sania Mirza: You know we were watching his match around 1200-1230 hrs IST a night before. He had to come back to the same court in not even 24 hours later, as a tennis player I know how difficult it is. Of course, he was upset but everyone around him was just trying to keep him as positive as possible. In the starting you might have found him a bit sluggish but after a couple of games he picked it up. He is a 11 times Grand Slam champion, one of the best we ever had not only in India but also in the world.

Gaurav Kalra: Sania tell us a bit about the theories going about how this can be a big stepping stone for success and other ventures as well. Do you think that something like the mixed doubles will help you in your singles as well?

Sania Mirza: Honestly, a Grand Slam is a Grand Slam. It doesn't matter that it singles or doubles to start off. Secondly, I don't want to get too ahead of myself. I want to live in today; I don't even want to think that what will happen tomorrow. I am hearing that I am hitting the ball really well. I had a pretty decent tournament to have not played for six months and for coming back with a Grand Slam.

Gaurav Kalra: Yes, it was more than a pretty decent tournament. Moreover, besides Sania and Mahesh there was one other big Indian story to emerge from the Australian Open and that was a 16-year-old boy, Yuki Bhambri of Delhi. He became the first Indian in nearly two decades to win a Junior Grand Slam. He has followed the footsteps of Ramanathan Krishnan, his son Ramesh and Leander Paes - who have also won Junior Grand Slams before. This is a monumental achievement by any stretch of imagination is what Yuki said. Has this boy something special in him?

Sania Mirza: What Yuki has done, I think is great. We were on the same flight and I congratulated him.

Gaurav Kalra: Was he a little shy to talk to you Sania, because he is just a 16-year-old boy?

Sania Mirza: His sister use to play with me, so I know him. It was good to see him all grown up. I know he was not shy at all. He is made India proud and made each one of us proud. He can make a transition from the junior to the main game that happens usually. That is the toughest thing to do but lets hope he comes through. He is the biggest prospect we have right now.

Gaurav Kalra: Did you watch any of his matches? Sania were you impressed with what you saw, any advice?

Sania Mirza: Honestly, I don't want to give any advice. I think there are enough people giving advice. I think what he is doing is great. He has a good team behind him. I am sure he will be fine.

Gaurav Kalra: Sania where are these girls going? We see all boys coming up - Somdev, Yuki. Why isn't Sania Mirza inspiring young girls to come and become a tennis player champion.

Sania Mirza: I don't know. We shouldn't get too hasty about it. Right now we have Somdev and Yuki, we shouldn't get too greedy for it. We can hope that we can have lot more Grand Slam champions coming out.

Gaurav Kalra: Watching Roger Federer break down at the end of this, how disheartening was that?

Sania Mirza: It was heartbreaking. You are so used to see him win, it is tough. As an athlete, I can understand where he is coming from. As he said, when you lose a match, you have to just go and take a shower but this was not like that but you can’t do that. You lose at such a big stage and such a close match. Well, for me he is still the king and he will always be.

Gaurav Kalra: What do you think he should do to beat Rafael Nadal as they will only meet in the finals of the big tournaments?

Sania Mirza: Yeah it is tough. Rafael is playing very will right now. He is the best player in the world and I am a huge Rafal fan as well. He is physically so fit, but I am in no position or anyone out here is in no position to tell Federer what to do. He has won so many Grand Slams. I am sure he is talented enough and he will figure out a way.

Gaurav Kalra: What do you think is the roadmap. If you have to make a prediction then put your self out there and say when is title no 14 coming?

Sania Mirza: I am going to say Wimbledon, this year.

Gaurav Kalra: What is the road ahead for you, what are your plans for the next few months?

Sania Mirza: I am going to stay home, I am nursing an abdominal injury, so I’ll take a call on Thailand which is in about a week. So for now I am going to rest and be home for a couple of days. Just going to enjoy sleeping on my own bed.

Gaurav Kalra: Do you have set plans in mind , of the things that you are going to do in the year ahead for 2009?

Sania Mirza: Not really. Like I said, I am living in the moment right now. That is something that I have learnt in the past few months, that you cannot plan things. Things will happen. That is what I had told myself before going to Melbourne. Right now I have an abdominal injury so I am going to get that right, and after that may be go to Thailand and Dubai and take it from there.

Gaurav Kalra: Grand Slam champion Sania Mirza, thank you for joining us, it has been a fantastic achievement and congratulations once again.

Sania Mirza: Thank you.

Sania eyes French open

Sania Mirza during a press conference in Hyderabad on Tuesday

The Australian Open mixed doubles title has only whetted her appetite and tennis ace Sania Mirza said she is now eyeing success at the French Open.

Basking in the glory of being country’s first woman Grand Slam winner, Sania said it was a dream-come-true for her but she was looking for an encore in the second Grand Slam of the year at Rolland Garros.

“Winning a Grand Slam title is a dream come true for me. I am very excited. Now I am looking forward to the French Open,” she told reporters here Tuesday.

Cherishing the Australian Open title that she won partnering Mahesh Bhupathi, Sania said 

the feeling had taken time to sink in.

“At the end of the day, it’s a Grand Slam. It is with a fellow Indian. It is with someone whom I know very well. It is with someone I have been associated for a long time,” Sania said.

“After having (wrist) surgery, it was like you are not able to lift a tennis racquet, not being able to eat food yourself. And now coming back home with a Grand Slam. It has to be very special,” she said.

Sania decided to skip India’s Fed Cup campaign this week and the tennis ace blamed it on her abdominal pain, apart from the fatigue following the Australian Open.

Asked about her decision not to play in India to steer clear of controversies, Sania said, “I never said I am going to boycott (events in India). As usual, it was blown out of proportion. Who does not want to play in India? I love to play in the country. But not many tournaments are happening now.”

Sania was effusive in her praise for Yuki Bhambri who won the boys’ singles title at the Australian Open.

“He is the biggest potential we have today. I wish him all the best. I have seen him as a child. It is important to manage the transition from junior to senior. That is where the main problem starts,” she said.

Sania said with shooter Abhinav Bindra, shuttler Saina Nehwal, Yuki and the cricket team doing well abroad, sport in the country was looking up.

The girl from Hyderabad said the reception she received after returning to India reminded her of the time when she came back home after winning the junior Wimbledon doubles title partnering Alisa Kleybanova of Russia in 2003.

Mahesh and Rohan ditched me : Sania

Sania Mirza is all praise for Mahesh Bhupathi after they won the Australian Open mixed doubles title but the tennis ace is also upset with him for not taking her to watch 'Slumdog Millionaire'.

Sania wanted to watch the much-acclaimed film, directed by Danny Boyle, but instead of taking her along, Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna went ahead and saw the movie. "Mahesh and Rohan ditched me and went to watch 'Slumdog Millionaire'," Sania said on Tuesday.

Talking about the reception following her triumph in the Australian Open where she and Bhupathi became the first Indian pair to win a Grand Slam title, the Hyderabadi girl said it reminded her of the time when she returned home after winning the junior Wimbledon doubles title partnering Alisa Kleybanova of Russia in 2003.

"There were my relative and a number of people to receive me at the airport when I returned home from the Australian Open. It reminded me when I was 17 and had won the junior Wimbledon title," she said.

Asked what went through her mind when they landed the Australian Open mixed doubles title, Sania said, "Is this for real? There were so many things going through my mind, there was almost disbelief in the beginning. It is taking time but finally it is sinking in."

Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza arrives in mumbai

Mahesh Bhupathi (2nd L) and Sania Mirza, surrounded with policemen, pose with their trophies after arriving at the international airport in Mumbai February 2, 2009. Bhupati and Mirza won the mixed doubles title at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on Sunday

Sania " my best comeback"

India's star tennis player Sania Mirza said on Monday that winning the Australian Open mixed doubles title with Mahesh Bhupathi was the best way she could make a comeback in the international circuit.

The duo was give a rousing welcome at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Monday after they became the first Indian pair to win a Grand Slam mixed doubles.

"It is very special to win your first Grand Slam. After the injury it is a great way to come back. I am just living in the moment for now," said Sania.For Sania, who was making a comeback from a wrist injury, it was her maiden Grand Slam title and also the first by an Indian woman. The injury forced the 22-year-old Hyderabadi out of international circuit for most part of 2008 and she was out of top-100 in singles rankings.

Sania had also won the junior girls doubles at Wimbledon in 2003 with Russian Alisa Kleybanova.

Bhupathi and Sania pose with their trophies

Winners of Aus Open Mixed doubles Bhupathi and Sania pose with their trophies on their arrival at Mumbai airport.

Sania : yeh dil maange more - Grand slams

With a Grand Slam title under her belt, an ecstatic Sania Mirza today returned home, promising to add many more to the mixed doubles trophy she won alongside Mahesh Bhupathi in the Australian Open.
"It's a great way to come back, especially what happened in the last six-seven months," Sania, the first Indian woman to win a Grand Slam title, said after landing here with Bhupathi this morning.

Sania had battled a career-threatening wrist injury last year which kept her out of action for most of the season.

Asked about her future plans, an elated Sania told reporters waiting for her at the airport "I am happy to win my first Grand Slam and there are many more to go." The 22-year-old Hyderabadi was ousted by Nadia Petrova in the women's singles second round of the season's first Grand Slam, and came a cropper in doubles too.

But more than made up for it in the mixed doubles event. Sania and Bhupathi, who were the runners-up last year, bettered their performance to become the first all-Indian pair to win the title

Sania Mirza to miss Fed Cup

In a big setback to the Indian Fed Cup team, Sania Mirza will miss the upcoming Group I Asia/Oceania zone tie, citing an abdominal injury.

The Fed Cup tie will begin in Perth, Australia from Wednesday and the Indian team has been reduced to three members now.

No replacement can be sent to the event as the last date for sending the substitute has lapsed.

Sania suffered the injury during her Australian Open campaign, an All India Tennis Association official said. "We were told yesterday that she will not play. Her father spoke to me and informed," said an AITA official.

Last year also, Sania did not play the Fed Cup matches though she was part of the team.

Rankings: Sania slips to 127

Sania slipped to 127, a loss of 19 places while in the doubles she is at 72 after losing 13 positions.

Sania won the mixed doubles title at the Australian Open but made a second round exit from singles and fell at the first hurdle in women doubles.

Aus open: Sania triumphs.. moments thru lens .

sanias first grand slam

Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza celebrate..pic

Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza celebrate winning their mixed doubles final match against Israel's Andy Ram and France's Nathalie Dechy at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne February 1, 2009