I need to be more consistent, says Sania

DUBAI — India’s tennis sensation Sania Mirza is eagerly looking forward to competing in this year’s French Open.

The 19-year-old tennis star, who is making waves on the international circuit, however, has a few things to sort out. Mirza, forced to take a five-and-a-half-week sabbatical because ankle injury, will have a bone scan at the end of this month. “If that is clear, then I will be going to Italy for some training at the Bob Brett Tennis Academy in Italy, followed by the French Open.”

Mirza is also searching for a coach who could hone her precocious talent. “The coach would be a foreigner,” she made it clear.

“I have short-listed some people but it is too early to spell out any names. A lot of things will have to be considered, so we have to wait and see,” she said.

Mirza — in Dubai to unveil the new corporate identity of Al Haseena Jewellery — was talking to the media about her plans at the Renaissance Hotel here yesterday.

Asked about her target at the French Open, she said she only wanted to go out there and give her best.

“Because I advanced to the third round in some tournaments, it does not mean that I am going to reach the third or fourth round each time I play in a grand slam.”

She, however, conceded that the clay surface at Roland Garros is not her favourite. “I prefer hard courts as I have won a couple of tournaments there. But all the same, if you have to play tennis, you have to be able to play on all surfaces,” she said.

Looking back on her experience during her participation in the DDF Open Championships in Dubai recently, Mirza said she was overwhelmed with the support she got from the fans. “To be honest I felt as if I were playing in Hyderabad in India. The number of Indians I saw, I do not think I have seen so many Indians anywhere outside India. And to have the whole stadium cheering only for you is simply amazing.“

But despite her achievement in a short span of time Mirza is aiming higher and looking for consistency in her game. “I am considered one of the hard hitters on the women’s circuit. I think what matters now is consistency in my game and how much I can hit the same way. So that means practise and practise more and hard work.”

Talking about tennis and cricket in India, she said: “Cricket is almost a religion in India and that is something you cannot change. It is my favourite sport too, so I cannot say anything about it.”

No wonder, her favourite cricketer is Sachin Tendulkar whom she has met and was so much overwhelmed that she could not recall what he said to her. “He is a very nice person, probably one of the best cricket stars I have met ... a down to earth person guy.

Mirza was presented with a ‘Tribute Leaf’ by Arif B. Rahman, director of ETA-Star, the parent company of Al Haseena. Rahman said the presentation was a tribute to women by honouring a woman of substance.

“And Sania Mirza has achieved so much in such a short time that the whole world is proud of her,” he said.

Sania Mirza will inaugurate the showroom of Al Haseena company in Dubai

Al Haseena plans to expand its distribution network by doubling its retail showrooms over the next two years in the UAE and other countries.

The company, a part of the ETA - Star group, is also embarking on a brand revitalisation programme. Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza will inaugurate the forthcoming opening of its newest showroom, the first to feature its new brand identity, at the Suncity Hotel on Al Fahidi Street, Bur Dubai.

Sports stars rake in the moolah!

Sania Mirza is on a winning spree, and every time she lobs the ball across the net, endorsement companies add another zero to her cheque.

In just one week, the golden girl of Indian sport has found her endorsement fee increasing sharply from Rs 50 lakh (Rs 5 million) to Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 million), perhaps the highest ever in the history of Indian sport in such a short spell.

From Rs 5.5 lakh (Rs 550,000) at the start of the year to Rs 1 crore at the start of this month, Mirza is serving up money. Corporate breaths hang on her forward and backward swings

Sania Mirza
TOTAL ENDORSEMENTS Rate per endorsement: 5
Jan '05, before her match with Serena Williams	Rs 5.5 lakh
Feb 11, after winning the WTA title	Rs 40-50 lakh
March 1, after defeating world number 7 in Dubai	Rs 80 lakh-1 crore

Virender Sehwag
TOTAL ENDORSEMENTS Rate per endorsement: 11
2001	Rs 10-15 lakh
Prior to World Cup 2003	Rs 35-40 lakh
When he hit 309 in Pakistan in 2004	Rs 70 lakh
Current rate	Rs 1 crore

Irfan Pathan
TOTAL ENDORSEMENTS Rate per endorsement: 8
Feb-04	Rs 25-30 lakh
Current rate	Rs 50-60 lakh

HOW MUCH THE OTHERS GET*

Sachin Tendulkar

Rs 3 - 6/7 crore

Shah Rukh Khan

Rs 2.5 - 3.5 crore

Amitabh Bachchan

Rs 2 - 3 crore

Aishwarya Rai

Rs 1.5 - 2 crore

Saif Ali Khan

Rs 75 lakh - 1 crore

Sourav Ganguly

Rs 75 lakh - 1.25 cr

Rahul Dravid

Rs 60 -70 lakh

*Industry estimates of endorsement for one company per year

In a nation devoted to cricket, her iconic status is very recent and just as vulnerable. Already punters are wondering what will happen when she loses.

Will her fees fall, her celebrity status suffer? Or will she take it in her stride, just as she's managed the better deals from companies over established stars like Virender Sehwag and Irfan Pathan?

Certainly, it wasn't always this easy, even for this smart-talking tennis player who manages to floor everyone with her sophisticated presence. For over two years, Bangalore-based Globosport tried to hawk Sania Mirza for advertising endorsements, but there were few takers.

Executives of the company owned by tennis ace Mahesh Bhupathi made a pitch to over 30 top corporates across the country. Only three, including Tata Tea, obliged -- and then at a throwaway price of Rs 5 lakh (Rs 500,000) a year.

But last week Mirza was the country's hottest sports star after a sensational victory against the world number seven, Svetlana Kuznetsova, in Dubai. The win followed her hyped match with top seeded Serena Williams and her victory in the WTA tournament in Hyderabad.

Says an elated Anirban Das Blah, vice president-marketing and sales, Globosport: "After Sania played with number one seed Serena Williams, we had 22 offers for endorsements. But with her win at the WTA world tennis tournament in Hyderabad, another eight offers were added. Corporates are lining up for her, and her price is shooting up."

Neither Sania nor Globosport are complaining. After her price went up nearly 20 times in the last month, she's begun to give sleepless nights to even the country's most sought-after cricket stars.

Blah says that Mirza has already signed three as-yet-undisclosed deals, and negotiations are on to fill one more slot. "That will be filled if the company we're negotiating with is willing to pay more."

Already, Globosport has decided to limit the number of new endorsements she will undertake in a year to a maximum of four, so prices can be kept high.

Says Blah, "Unlike cricket, where nearly 70 per cent of your earnings come from endorsements, in tennis the rules are different as the prize money is huge. So, we would rather concentrate on getting her into the top 25 of the game."

But in Sania's case, the sales pitch is as innovative as her game: she is the only face in tennis and has no competition, unlike in cricket where there are more than 11 celebrities jostling for TV space.

Says Blah, "Her achievement connect is stronger than any film actress's, and her image cuts across all societies and towns, so she can reach out effectively to both the youth and to women."

Advertisers who have signed up with her agree with Blah's brand positioning. Tata Tea, for instance, wanted to change customer perception of tea as an old-fashioned, fuddy-duddy beverage.

Says Vivek Mathur, vice president-marketing in Tata Tea, "We wanted Tata Tea to be a youthful, outdoor and action-oriented brand that gives you the energy to succeed." Mirza fitted the bill as someone stepping out and striving to succeed, not someone who had already reached the top.

The tea company also wanted to understand whether an upmarket game like tennis was recognised and understood by women in smaller towns.

A dip-stick study in Gorakhpur came back with some interesting revelations -- not only were women familiar with tennis, thanks to television surfing, they also wanted their children to play the game. Tea sales in January, when the ad campaign was running, went up by over 40 per cent over the previous year at Tata Tea.

But Sania is not the only youth sports icon hitting the big time. Corporates are looking for youthful, fresh faces with a long-term future, and are willing to the pay the price for it, even as endorsement rates are spiralling. Among those who have caught their -- and the country's -- fancy is the rock-jawed cricket pace bowler Irfan Pathan, the more so because of his rags-to-riches story.

http://us.rediff.com/money/2005/mar/07spec.htm

Sania will perform well in French open: Bhupathi

Ace tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi on Monday expressed confidence that India's teenage tennis sensation Sania Mirza would be at her best in the forthcoming French open tournament inspite of her injury.

"Her's is a minor injury. I hope she will put in her best performance in the French open," Bhupati told newsmen.

Earlier, Bhupathi called on West Bengal Urban Development Minister Ashok Bhattacharjee at the state secretariat to discuss preparations of the Sunfeast Kolkata Open tennis tournament to be held in September.

Bhupathi, who discussed security arrangements with Bhattacharya, expressed satisfaction at the progress of renovation of the Netaji Indoor Stadium here where the tournament will be played.

India's former Davis Cup non-playing captain Joydeep Mukherjea, who accompanied Bhupathi, said the tournament, approved by the Women's Tennis Association, would see in action 'two or three' top 20 players, besides Sania.

"We have not finalised the lists of participants yet. It will be done by mid-July. But we are expecting two or three players from the top 20. Besides, Sania will also participate," Bhupathi said.

Sania Mirza's father plans book on daughter

Presently busy accompanying Sania Mirza on tournaments in and out of the country, Imran Mirza plans to pen a book on his celebrity daughter whenever he gets the time.

Imran, who was here along with his daughter to cheer India in the Fed Cup tennis tournament, said, ''I have this idea of penning a book on her for she has undergone so many things and I would like to pass it on to others which may prove beneficial for them.''

''But at present I’m too busy accompanying her to the tours and it may happen so that I may come out with it only after her retirement.

But the idea is definitely there,'' he told .

Recalling it was swimming which Sania was initially good at, Imran recalled she chanced upon tennis.

''There is so much about her life that other people would like to know and a book on her would best serve that purpose,'' he said.

Tennis player Sania Mirza with her father Imran after a press conference at Press club of India in New Delhi on Saturday 23-02-2005 

Sania to undergo scan before hitting the court

Sania, who is working with Indian cricket team physio John Gloster, said she wanted to be completely fit before returning.

Sania Mirza, India’s teenaged tennis ace, will undergo a bone scan on April 30, which will determine when she returns to competitive tennis following a six-week break due to an ankle injury. The Hyderabadi, 18, ranked 73 in the world, is hopeful of getting a tournament in before the French Open, which will perforce be the focus of her attention.

“My target for now is to win a round in the French Open,” she said. “After I reached the third round of the Australian Open, there have been a lot of expectations. People are now expecting me to reach semifinals and win tournaments. That is not possible every time but I do appreciate those expectations and I am trying my best to live up to them.

“I am happy to be coming back from an injury and playing on clay despite hardcourts being my favourite surface,” she said, “because clay is easier on the body.”Sania, who is presently working with the physio of the Indian cricket team John Gloster in New Delhi, where she is also cheering the Indian team from the sidelines in the Fed Cup Asia-Oceania Group I competition, said, “There was a lot of pressure on me to play the tournament but doctors told me that the only way I can beat this is by rest. I rather miss one Fed Cup than play it this year and then miss it for a long time. I was really looking forward to playing the Fed Cup this year with Shikha (Uberoi) also coming in, but that couldn’t happen.”

Sania, who has been working with Bob Brett for sometime now, is still on the look out for a full-time coach. “We have short-listed a few people,” she said. “Mahesh Bhupathi is looking at that. The important thing is that I need to have a good rapport with the coach. He can be the best in the world but if we are not comfortable working together, it doesn’t help.”

The glamour girl of Indian sport, who has captured a fair deal of the corporate market with her face endorsing everything from jewellry to cycles, reiterated, “I am a tennis player first and foremost, and the day I feel that the endorsements are coming in the way of my tennis, I will stop it immediately. My goal is to break into the world’s top-25 in the next two years and I won’t let other things get in the way of that.”

Sania looks for first round win at Roland Garros

Apprehensive that her recurring ankle injury could land her on the surgery table, tennis sensation Sania Mirza is taking no chances ahead of next month's French Open where her initial target is to cross the first round hurdle.

With the tennis extravaganza at the Roland Garros set to begin on May 23, the teenager said she had not set any big goals for the Grand Slam event and was rather looking to cross the first round.

"I will try my best. I don't think that I will win the championship. My priority is to win the first round. There is a lot of expectations, and pressure too," Sania, who won her first WTA title in Hyderabad two months back, told reporters here today.

"The pressure was there in Hyderabad Open too. I got entry into the championship in the last minute, but the expectations were high and I am glad I lived up to those expectations winning my first WTA title in my home town," she said.

The 73rd ranked teenager from Hyderabad, who got a direct entry into the clay courts of French Open, is now nursing a "recurring" ankle injury and is going to get it examined on April 30.

"On April 30, there is a scan. The only option before me is rest. Otherwise, doctors have said that the injury will worsen leading to surgery which I don't want to happen," she said.

Sania said the injury was due to the training she got in her childhood.

When asked whether she was comfortable playing in clay courts, the surface used in the French Open, Sania said "I prefer hard courts. I am not a baseline player. Clay courts are not my favourite." On yesterday's 3-0 defeat of the Indian girls in the Fed Cup after some good tennis earlier in the week, Sania said India lost to China who fielded their best team.

"We had not lost to a meeker side, neither we played meekly. We played well," Sania, who was disappointed at not being able to play in the championship, said.

Though she had been flooded with offers from companies to endorse their products, Sania said, "I do not want to be known as a model, I want to live as a tennis player and no one else.

"Whenever any endorsement deal comes in the way of my tennis career, it will be the end of that deal," she said.

Sania on the lookout for a foreign coach

`I am focussed in improving my ranking' I don't want to be a model. I'm a tennis player and will remain so till the end

LOOKING AHEAD: Sania Mirza who will play in the French Open aims to take it one step at a time.

NEW DELHI: Teen tennis sensation Sania Mirza, on Saturday, said she was in the process of hiring a foreign coach and had shortlisted a few for the job.

``We have shortlisted a few names. And we will decide one from the list,'' Sania told reporters without divulging the names. The 18-year-old said the most important thing while having a coach was that she must get along well with the person.

``There is no point if the coach and player do not get along well, even if the coach is the best in the world,'' she said.

It was an emphatic ``no'' when Sania was asked whether she would prefer settling down abroad for her tennis training.

``I have no plans to settle down abroad as I will miss certain things I love to do here. May be, for three months or so I will go abroad for training. (But) I won't settle there.''

For the time being she also has no plans to concentrate on doubles. ``I always prefer playing singles and now I am focussed in improving my singles ranking. I don't think that at this point of time I will play more doubles.

``I am working towards getting into the top 25 bracket in singles in the next two years.''

On her favourite tennis player Steffi Graf, she said, ``I love her tennis because of the whole package of her tennis. It is very difficult to point out what I like in her tennis, she was very different.''

Sania said Roger Federer was her favourite male player at the moment, but the list keeps on changing from time to time.

On French Open

Talking about French Open, Sania said, ``Clay is definitely not my favourite surface because that does not suit my style of play because I hit the ball hard. But I'm not that bad in clay either and have won a couple of titles in such surface. Above all, playing in clay won't aggravate my injury.''

She said her immediate aim is to clear the first hurdle in the French Open next month.

Currently 73rd in the latest WTA ranking, Sania said: ``I'm aware of the expectations but just because I made it to the third round in the Australian Open, people should not expect me to win the French Open. I'll be an underdog there and will try to clear the first round.''Dispelling apprehensions that endorsement could prove a distraction and affect her performance, Sania said, ``A player should know the limit. When I realise endorsement is taking toll on my game, I'll stop.''

Also asserting that she did not aspire to be a model, Sani said: "I don't want to be a model. I'm a tennis player and will remain so till the end.''

On her injury

Upset at missing the Fed Cup owing to the ankle injury, Sania said, ``I was looking forward to it. Shikha (Uberoi) was here and we could have been a great team. Though they lost to China, all the players tried their best and China was here with their best team.''

``Playing this time would have been a risk. Doctors have advised me rest; otherwise the injury can become chronic. Many more Fed Cups will follow,'' she said.

Sania's Career at a glance

First-ever Indian girl to win a Grand Slam, in the girls' doubles event at Wimbledon in 2003 Turned pro in 2003 at the age of 17 Won women's doubles at Hyderabad Open in 2004 to become first Indian woman to capture a WTA Tour crown Reached nine singles finals on the 2004 ITF Circuit, winning six titles. Reached six doubles finals on the 2004 ITF Circuit, winning four titles Broke into the top 200 of the WTA Tour in on October 25, 2004 with a ranking of 193 Grand Slam debut at Australian Open 2005 as wild-card and reached third round, first-ever Indian woman to do so Registers her 100th career victory at the Hyderabad Open 2005. Wins the Hyderabad Open 2005, become first Indian woman to capture a Tour singles title Broke into the top 100 of the WTA Tour in Feb 14, 2005, ranked 99 Defeated US Open champion and no. 4 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in straight sets at Dubai Open 2005 Climbed to no. 77 in the WTA Tour rankings on March 7, 2005

Cricket physio checks Sania's injury

Tennis sensation Sania Mirza figures in the main draw of next month's French Open in Paris while Indian cricket physio John Gloster had a look at the ankle injury of the star player who opted out of the ongoing Fed Cup at New Delhi.

"Sania got the entry into the main draw by virtue of her ranking (73) and she will be playing it, but fitness is top on her priority list", Sania's father Imran Mirza said in Hyderabad on Friday.

"She will decide on the future course of action including rest, play, therapy [if prescribed] after the final report on her injury comes in", he said.

When asked about the ankle injury, Mirza said Sania is making good progress and that Gloster too had a look at the injury and her medical reports.

"Gloster said he will be giving his advise only after the reassessment tests are done after the prescribed period of rest of 12 days at the Apollo hospital", Mirza said, adding that Sania would then start her preparations for the French Open commencing on May 23.

Sania accepts French Open invite

India's tennis ace Sania Mirza has received an invitation for the French Open next month and will prepare for the Grand Slam event under well-known coach Bob Brett, her father says.

"Sania has already received an invite to play in this year's French Open singles, which we have accepted," Imran Mirza said.

Mirza further asserted that Sania's doctor, BN Reddy, had insisted on about 10-12 days of rest to her ankle before she could start training again.

Not in action
he 18-year-old Hyderabadi sensation has not played competitive tennis after her first round exit of the Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami, Florida, last month.

"The doctor has advised 10-12 days' rest, after which he will look at her ankle again. Depending on what he says, Sania can begin her training at the start of next month," Mirza said.

To join Bob Brett Academy

If all goes according to plan, Mirza felt she should be hitting balls on court for a few days before she leave for San Remo in Italy to train at the Bob Brett Academy.

"Sania has not visited Bob's academy for the past eight-nine months and that is a long period. We will have to match their schedules and hope that he would be able to accommodate her next month," Mirza said.

Sania had first visited the Australian's academy late in 2003 on the recommendation of India's doubles specialist Mahesh Bhupathi, whose sports management group — Globosport — manages her career.

"She will have to be perfectly fit before she can train with Bob as the training will be extremely intense. So she is hoping that she will receive the all clear from her doctor soon," he said.

Sania should aim to be a top-20 player: Pollard

India's fast rising tennis star Sania Mirza's primary goal should be to be among the top-20 players in the world, a top Australian Open Grand Slam official has said.

"It is hard to tell the upper limits of a player's potential but in tennis the objective is to be in the top 20. To be there means a major player in the world and capable of winning lot of tournaments, get seeding for the Grand Slams besides lot of money. I don't see any reason why she (Sania) can't be there," Geoff Pollard, President of Tennis Australia, told PTI.

Sania Mirza to act in a bollywood film !!!!!

Sania Mirza will star opposite Akshay Kumar in Prem Game, produced by NRI Dennis Dhawan.

Sania's injured ankle fine: Medical report

Tennis ace Sania Mirza's injured ankle has healed according to a medial report and it will be reviewed shortly, says Indian women Fed Cup team's non-playing captain Enrico Piperno.

"The MRI scan of the ankle has showed that the injury has healed completely, but her doctor has asked that it will be reviewed again in about 10-12 days to ensure that there is no recurrence," Piperno said.

The 18-year-old sensation, who is sitting out of the ongoing Fed Cup Asia-Oceania Group I matches here, would be hoping for a quick recovery to prepare for the French Open next month.

Sania has already received, and accepted, an invitation to play in the singles of the Grand Slam event.

Sania had to give her ankle a break to allow the injury to heal completely, but constant tournament appearances after her Australian Open third-round exit in January did not permit that.

Sania Mirza felicitated by FICCI

New Delhi:It was a unique gathering of women achievers from diverse fields, including veteran actress Zohra Sehgal, super cop Kiran Bedi, beauty diva Shahnaz Husain, TV journalist Barkha Dutt and tennis star Sania Mirza, as they were felicitated for being 'women leaders'.

The occasion was the 21st Annual Session of FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO), where 'women leaders' were felicitated by Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit here on Wednesday.

"What really this room brings out is that so many eminent women are living in Delhi," the Chief Minister said addressing the function.

"I feel honoured honouring each one of you. Women are the best things that have happended to this world," the Chief Minister said.

Among the women who were honoured on the occasion were painter Anjolie Ela Menon, the first-ever woman sarod player Sharan Rani, beauty and fitness expert Vandana Luthra, journalists Mrinal Pande, politician, social activist Jaya Jaitley and fashion designer Ritu Kumar.

The list also included kathak danseuse Uma Sharma, jewellery designer Asha Kamal Modi, educationist Shyama Chona, architect and designer Sunita Kohli, cardiologist S Padmavati and lawyer Indira Jaisingh.

"The women whom we are felicitating are women made of special steel. They are women who have achieved national and international recognition and represent the modern face of Indian womanhood," outgoing FLO President Namita Gautam said on the occasion.

Sania Mirza at a press meet in New Delhi after she was announced as the Brand Ambassador of Italian sports gear March 6-2005. 

Sania's ACE

The newly anointed 'Superstar' has a confession. "Excuse me, I'm no no path-breaker, youth icon, superstar... thank you. It's the media that labels people. Yes, it feels great to have brought women's tennis into the limelight. In India, you're a successful sportsperson only if you're a cricketer... but hello, I'm not. Neither is Narain Karthikeyan. So, it's an achievement getting recognition for my sport," says Sania Mirza under the April sun as it burnishes hard on Centre Court, RK Khanna Tennis Stadium.

Despite her plain-speak, her life has been quite opulent these past four months. Number crunchers, please note. Same time last year, when the Fed Cup was on, she was ranked in the 300s. In January 2005, she was No 168. And then came the Australian Open. "Not every Indian girl can dream of playing against Serena Williams. It excites people to see an Indian girl play at that level. It's been the greatest four months of my life. There comes a time in every player's life when she makes her BIG breakthrough... that was it for me. I wasn't doing anything different but everything fell in place, everything clicked."

So much so, Sania pushed herself to the max. Probably beyond it. "Being on a winning streak, I wanted to keep on going. Australia happened, Hyderabad happened, Dubai happened. I pushed my limits. I've been on three painkillers a day for the past three months. I was in plaster in Dubai when I beat US Open champ Svetlana Kuznetsova." That was fantasy. Cut to reality. There's excessive fluid in both her ankles, the oedema in the left one is yet to subside. "After the recent Miami event, doctors told me the left ankle could need an operation. I was kinda peaking and now this injury comes up. It's disappointing."

Still, that hasn't stopped one more public ride on the roller-coaster that is Sania's life. Will she or won't she play the Fed Cup? "Just like I stretched myself, people want me to really stretch it and play. Indians are never satisfied with what they have... they want more. The final decision on my participation lies with my doctor, BN Reddy."

No self-anointed saint, this girl-woman (she's 18) lives life on her own terms. "Sania's librarian glasses, earrings, T-shirts, jeans... hey, I'm just being myself. I would wear the same stuff, do the same things even if I wasn't a tennis player. Nobody would have noticed this if I wasn't famous."

Blame it on the 'famous' tag... Miss Mirza has been anointed the new Midas. But if she's pleased, she isn't showing it. "Endorsements? Get this clear: I'm not running after ad deals. I've assigned 25 days a year for ads and I'd rather wrap up my commitments during this time off so that I can focus on my game once I get back to playing." That's that. This -- the Next Level -- is this. "Obviously, I want to move up to the next level... break into the top 50 by this year and, ultimately, into the top 10. The difference between a top 10 player and the rest is part physical, part mental. If you have the legs, shoulder strength, you'll be running hard and firing aces deep into the third set. Look at Serena... see her and you feel: what chance do I have, she's going to outhit me anyway. But the top players are mentally tough too... they play the big points better. " They don't teach you all this Harvard Business School. So Sania's learnt her stuff from "Steffi Graff, my idol; Roger Federer; and Serena, the toughest player going."

Once upon a time, she was the proverbial outsider. Just a fairytale opening chapter later, she's the quintessential achiever. "Tennis still remains my No 1 priority. I'm not being distracted -- neither by my recent success nor by the fame that comes with it." Finally, the come-on line. "Life has changed, but I haven't. I'm still the same." Tennis might grow smaller, and one day in the very distant future, so might her instant nirvana of today. But Sania Mirza will always be BIG. She's made that breakthrough, remember?

Sania out of Fed Cup tennis tie against Singapore

Sports News, New Delhi,Injured Sania Mirza has been ruled out for India's opening match against Singapore in the women's tennis Fed Cup Asia-Oceania Group I here Wednesday.

"Sania will be back tomorrow (Wednesday) from Hyderabad and depending on what her doctor says, she will play other matches," non-playing captain Enrico Piperno said Tuesday.

"She will not play tomorrow as I don't want to risk her against Singapore," Piperno told reporters during the team's evening practice session.

Piperno had said Tuesday morning he would decide on the final team composition only an hour before the start of play after conferring with Sania on her ankle injury.

He said Ankita Bhambri had recovered from her foot injury sustained during an International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament in Mumbai this month, and would play Wednesday.

"Ankita's foot is now perfectly all right, so she might get a chance to play. Shikha Uberoi will definitely be playing one of the singles matches," he said.

India has been clubbed with China, Singapore and Kazakhstan in Pool A of Group I, while Pool B comprises Australia, South Korea, Chinese Taipei and New Zealand.

The winner of the two pools will progress to the World Group playoff in July.

India's second match is against Kazakhstan Thursday and they play China, the top-ranked team in the pool, Friday.

The other matches in Pool A will see Kazakhstan take on China, while in Pool B, Australia play New Zealand and Korea play Chinese Taipei.

Sania has for some time been carrying an ankle injury that has stubbornly refused to heal completely, hampering her performance at the Nasdaq-100 Open in Florida.

Piperno said winning the Group I stage of the Asia-Oceania Fed Cup against top teams like China and Australia would be tough even with a fully fit Sania. The Indian team had a practice session at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) courts Tuesday morning and the players returned in the evening for another session.

"The sessions have been going on fine and the team is preparing well. I think that our chances against Singapore are very bright," Piperno said.

He had earlier said that since the tough match-up against China was later in the week, he was hoping Sania stood a better chance of recovering and featuring in the crucial clash.

Uberoi was hopeful Sania's absence would not affect the team. "Sania's absence will not affect us and we have just as good a chance. But it is unfortunate that she's not fit," she said.

"I wish she plays, but I would rather that she doesn't if she's not there yet and takes care of her career and body."

Four other teams - the Philippines, Syria, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - will compete in Group II simultaneously, with the winner and runner-up progressing to Group I for next year's Fed Cup Asia-Oceania tournament.

In a Group II tie, Syria beat Turkmenistan 2-1. In the second match, Uzbekistan took an unbeatable 2-0 lead against the Philippines ahead of the doubles encounter, which is now of academic interest.

http://www.keralanext.com/news/?id=184402

India and China in same group for FED cup, Sania in team

NEW DELHI: The initial reaction was of dread when the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, drew India's name alongside the top-seeded China in Pool A of the Fed Cup Asia-Oceania tennis tournament to be played at the DLTA Complex here from Tuesday. But the smiles on the Indian faces returned once they found that Singapore and Kazakhstan with unranked players were also pooled along with them.

Even before she had been given the doctors' clearance or been able to pull her weight on court, the one thought figuring on top of Sania Mirza's mind was to get a seeding for the team with her impressive ranking. In the event, being seeded third proved a big advantage as the other group was eventually packed with stronger teams like Korea, Chinese Taipei and New Zealand along with the second-seeded Australia.

Rankings don't matter

As the Australian captain John Alexander stressed, the rankings do not really matter in the team competition, and every team must be fancying its chance to take the lone spot for the world group play-off to be played in July.

Actually, the zone had two teams making it to the play-off till last year but the fact that three teams from the zone — Indonesia, Thailand and Japan — already figure in the world group meant that the quota was reduced to one this time.

"I am absolutely thrilled with the draw. Since only one team makes it to the play-off, you have to beat the top two teams. It was a question of playing China on Friday or Saturday. I hope Sania is ready. If she is there, anything is possible," said the Indian team captain, Enrico Piperno.

It may not look an ideal preparation to tackle a strong team like China that has two top-100 players apart from the Olympic doubles champions, after playing Singapore and Kazakhstan, but the Indian captain said that it was an ideal situation and would amply serve the team's cause.

"It is all about building your confidence. If we can win the first two matches convincingly, the team will gain a lot of confidence. I think it is all in our favour," said Piperno, even as he agreed that pool `B' was quite tough.

Chance for Shikha

Though the focus may be on whether Sania would play or not after she meets her doctor in Hyderabad on Tuesday, this event may serve as a big stepping-stone to boost the career of the US-based Shikha Uberoi. She had waited for quite some time to represent India, and has been diligently pushing her ranking close to the top-100.

Shikha may have played top class tennis around the world, and impressed the tennis fraternity by qualifying for the US Open last year and teasing Venus Williams in a second round encounter, but she will be accepted more by the Indian fans only if she makes an impact in a tournament like the Fed Cup.

The good thing is that Shikha has been working hard along with the others and may be just ready to play her part to perfection.

Piperno said that he had made up his mind about the doubles combination and was only waiting for Sania's availability to confirm his singles slots.

Ankita Bhambri's foot injury is a cause for concern though the team has the advantage of having Rushmi Chakravarthi playing close to her potential, as she showed in making the singles and doubles final of the $25,000 Challenger last week in Mumbai.

The aspirations of making it to the next stage apart, India can stay safe in Group `I' itself if it beats Singapore and Kazakhstan.

The bottom two teams in the two pools play off for the relegation.

The top two teams from Group `II', from among Philippines, Syria, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will make it to Group `I' for next year.

The opportunity of seeing Olympic gold medallists Ting Li and Tian Tian Sun in action apart, it would have been a lively fare for the local fans, had Australia been able to convince its top player, world No. 9 Alicia Molik to come and play here.

"Alicia Molik opted to play the WTA tour as she believes that she has a chance of becoming world No.1. We looked at it realistically, and we are supporting her. She has promised to join the team for the next game," said Alexander.

The Aussie captain said that he himself was looking forward to the tie between host India and China, as he termed both countries as emerging forces in women's tennis.

Ms. Dikshit, in her address, reiterated the government's stand to support sports and talented players, especially women, in building up the tempo for the Commonwealth Games to be staged in Delhi in 2010.

The tournament will kick off with Group `II' matches on Tuesday. The matches are scheduled to be played from 3.30 p.m. every day and thus heat may not be that strong a factor affecting the chances of the teams.

The Group `I' matches will start on Wednesday with India meeting Singapore. It plays Kazakhstan on Thursday before locking horns with China on Friday.

The top teams from the two pools will meet in the final on Saturday and the winner will make it to the world group `play-off'.

Group `I':

Pool-A: China, India, Singapore and Kazakhstan.

Pool-B: Australia, Korea, Chinese Taipei and New Zealand.

Group `II': Philippines, Syria, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.