Birmingham: Indian teenager Sania Mirza is hoping for an upturn to a frustrating season when she starts her Wimbledon build-up at Edgbaston this week. Mirza, the winner of the Wimbledon girl's doubles title three years ago, was knocked out of the French Open in the first round last month and is happy to have her feet back on grass.
The 19-year-old knows the softer, faster surface not only suits her aggressive game but may be easier on her body as she tries to recover from a series of injuries, particularly to her back.
“I had to rest before the French Open and had a month off, which is not a perfect preparation,” said Mirza, whose ranking of 40 does not flatter her considerable ability.
“But I have always liked playing on grass, even if it means quite a lot of adjusting. Wimbledon has been very special to me and playing on centre court last year was one of the most memorable days of my life. Getting down lower and hitting through the ball is part of it, but also anticipating the bad bounces and not being put off by them.
“Moving your feet faster and preparation becomes much more important. But grass suits my game. I hit pretty hard and hopefully I will do well.”
Mirza said: “That (expectation) is just something a sportsperson has to live with. I won’t play at that level all the time but I just have to work hard and improve. People who know tennis know you can't do it all the time. I have to deal with it by remaining focused, by blocking the expectations out. I'm getting better at it.”
Source: http://www.mumbaimirror.com/nmirror/mmpaper.asp?sectid=6&articleid=61220060521015612200605138156
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