Sania Mirza, an ace Indian tennis player, stated on Wednesday (January 19) that she will retire from the WTA tour in 2022 following her first-round loss in women’s doubles at the Australian Open.
35 year-old Mirza, and her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok, seeded 12th, lost 4-6, 6-7 against Kaja Juvan and Tamara Zidansek, an unseeded Slovenian pair, in one hour and 36 minutes.
After the match at Melbourne Park, Sania Mirza told the broadcasters: “There are several causes for this. It’s not as easy as saying, “OK, I’m not going to play.” I believe my rehabilitation is taking longer, and I am placing my three-year-old kid in danger by travelling so much with him; this is something I must consider.
My physique appears to be deteriorating. My knee was in excruciating pain today, and I don’t think that’s why we have lost! I do believe that it’s taking longer for me to heal as I get older…”
Sania Mirza is not just a name but an iconic star in the field of sports.
She is India’s first female Tennis starlet, the nation had got and since then the era of Tennis have made a remarkable journey in the nation among youth and kids.
Sania is the first Indian woman to win a Grand Slam, has also won medals at the Asian and Commonwealth Games in doubles. Her most recent Grand Slam was against Martina Hingis at the 2016 Australian Open.
Sania has bagged 14 medals in multi-sport competitions. The country has a total of six gold medals in the collection.
In the women’s and mixed doubles categories, she has won seven medals at the Asian Games in various editions. She has also won silver in the Women’s Singles and a bronze in the Women’s Doubles at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
Sania Mirza happens to be the only female Indian athelete participating in sport to win a WTA title of any category. She has achieved WTA Finals over two occasions.
Sania Mirza and Cara Black won the WTA Finals in 2014 after a successful year. Teaming up with Martina Hingis the next year, the Indian player defended her WTA Finals crown in 2015.
