India's Sania Mirza lost 6-3, 6-4 to Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues in the Dubai Championships first round yesterday and then spoke of worries over a recurring injury to her right wrist. The unseeded Sania, who had wrist surgery in 2008, needed treatment during her defeat by Anabel.
"When something that was a career-threatening injury ... starts to come back you obviously start having a lot of thoughts in the middle of the match," she said.
"It hurts when I stretch out for a forehand. It hurts when I try to hit a hard backhand crosscourt.
"I was thinking in the match, 'What am I going to do? Do I play in Malaysia next week? Do I go back home? Do I see my doctor?' All these things are going on in your head."
Israel's Shahar Peer, at the centre of controversy a year ago when she was refused entry to Dubai, beat 13th-seeded Belgian Yanina Wickmayer 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 in an incident-free match.
"I think the treatment I get from the people here is amazing ... including security," said Shahar. "They are really kind, they are doing everything for me.
"I really wanted to win this match, not only because of tennis but to make a statement that politics and sport should not be involved. There is no place for that for me."
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