Deoband Denies Issuing fatwa On Sania Issue

The Darul-Uloom Deoband on Friday said it has not issued any fatwa against the tennis player Sania Mirza, a day after Hyderabad Police lodged a case against her for shooting a commercial at the Mecca Masjid there.

"It is not the job of the seminary to watch the activities of player Sania (Mirza). The seminary has not issued any fatwa," Mufti Habiburrehman, the in-charge of the fatwa department of Darul-Uloom Deoband, located in Saharanpur district, said here.

He, however, said that photography in the mosque was "illegal" and against Shariat law, adding the tennis player had done the right thing by tendering an apology.

A case of trespass was registered against Sania and an advertising agency on Thursday for shooting the commercial at the mosque in Hyderabad.

Sania later apologised by sending a letter to the Imam of the Masjid in which she wrote, "I would like to apologise to all my brothers and sisters and respected elders who are anguished by my unwittingly entering a portion of the land belonging to Mecca Masjid."

But Sania is an Indian citizen so as per Indian constitution she doesn't need to pay any fine to a third party other than government organizations! It is really a joke as people says issuing fatwa and all. It is not 3rd century BC to issue fatwa or issue some groups' punishment to a citizen.

Sania Apologises For Ad Shoot In Mosque

Sania Mirza has apologized for hurting ''religious sentiments'' in an attempt to defuse the row over the shooting of a commercial featuring the tennis star at the historic Mecca Masjid for which she faced a trespass case.

''I would like to apologise to all my brothers and sisters and respected elders who are anguished by my unwittingly entering a portion of the land belonging to Mecca Masjid,'' Sania said in a letter to the Imam of the Masjid.

The apology ''with a deep sense of remorse'' came in the wake of the city police registering a case of trespass against Sania and the ad agency for filming the commercial allegedly without obtaining permission from the authorities.

As Muslim organisations and city-based party MIM questioned Sania for appearing in the shooting in the 17th century mosque premises, the tennis sensation said she was not aware that entering the outside gates of a mosque was also seriously objectionable.

''While I am fully aware that a woman must not enter the sanctity of the mosque, I was unaware that even entering the outside gates of a mosque was seriously objectionable, specially without permission, which I was assured by the agency they possessed,'' she said.

''However, I would like to unequivocally tender my apology to all my brothers and sisters for hurting their sentiments.''

Sania maintained that the commercial was aimed at promoting the heritage monument of Charminar which is a symbol of Hyderabad.

Sania courted trouble following a police complaint by District Minority Welfare Officer Kareemulla, who is the custodian of the mosque, that she and the agency's crew had made an unauthorised entry into the mosque on December 10.

Police described the cases as ''petty''.

Source: http://www.ndtv.com/

Sania's Ad Shoot At Mecca Masjid Has Sparked A Fresh Row

The shooting of a commercial advertisement featuring tennis star Sania Mirza at the historic Mecca Masjid here has sparked a row with the minorities welfare department seeking a report from the mosque officials.

The ad was shot on Tuesday without the permission of the department, which is responsible for the upkeep of the 17th century mosque. The shooting also evoked protest from the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), a powerful Muslim political party in the Muslim-majority old city.

MIM and some locals objected to the shooting and Sania Mirza's participation in it.

The advertisers had informed the police about the shooting and Sania's arrival but did not bother to take permission from the minorities welfare department. The police reportedly used mild force twice to disperse locals objecting to the shooting.

The mosque employees said the attitude of some of the members of shooting unit was also objectionable. They were reportedly wearing shoes when they entered the mosque and pushed away a mosque watchman who tried to stop them.

Sheikh Karmeeullah, the district minority welfare officer, Hyderabad, has sought a report from the superintendent and manager of the mosque on the incident.

Khaja Nayeemuddin, superintendent of the mosque, said he had no information about the film shooting. The two-hour shooting was over before the mosque custodians could reach the spot.

The mosque officials pointed out that the shooting of films and commercials was not permitted in the mosque premises.

MIM has protested to the minorities welfare department. "This is an attack on the sanctity of the mosque and it has hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims," said MIM legislator from Charminar Ahmed Pasha Khadri.

He said while Sania was free to act in any commercial, the mosque could not be used for such activities.

The mosque, located in the heart of the city, is a major tourist centre. Tight security is in place at the mosque since the May 18 bomb blast that killed nine people. Muslims constitute 40 per cent of the city's seven million population.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Sanias_ad_shoot_sparks_row/articleshow/2614265.cms

Sania Needs To Stay Fit: Vijay Amritraj

Former tennis ace Vijay Amritraj believes Sania Mirza’s improvement in rankings will depend entirely on her fitness levels.

“She will need to keep herself fit throughout the next season and play as many matches as possible. Losing out on tournaments due to lack of fitness will mean a dip in her rankings,” Amritraj said here.

Pointing out that the Sania had been a victim of several injuries in the past, he said she will have to get back to the drawing board and chalk out a plan with her coach.

Amritraj said the current generation of tennis players is more dependent on the power game which demands more physical force on the court, thereby leaving them vulnerable to injuries.

Exclusive: Sania In Bollywood!

Sania Mirza is current youth icon of India. Sania Mirza created history in tennis by becoming the 1st ever Indian to break into the TOP50 WTA rankings. Sania's stellar play and winning personality has won her an Arjuna Award, India's top sports honor

Sania Mirza only 20 has a huge fan base in India and is turning heads all over the world. Sania Mirza is celebrated and adulated for her attitude towards life, her fashion sense and her immense talent.

Recently, rumours were rife that might join films when she appeared with Shah Rukh Khan to promote the Sunfeast Open a few months ago.

Shah Rukh had said then that he would love to see her bring more laurels to India but Sania is keeping the options open.

She revealed that she has no qualms to get into films if it would promote and inspire young people to take up tennis. She however said that marriage is not on the cards though many have asked her to settle down.

Surprise Party Brings In Sania's 21st B'day: Wish Her

Sania Mirza and her mother Nasima share more than a mother-daughter bond. They also share a birthday. On Thursday, November 15, as the Indian ace's 21st birthday broke, Nasima, along with husband Imran and younger daughter Anam, watched as wonder gave way to joy, when an unsuspecting Sania, was led into a surprise party, the family had organised for her and her close group of friends at a luxury hotel in Hyderabad.

"She had absolutely no clue, it was a total surprise," Nasima said. "I was doing the planning with Anam and Rucha (Sania's best friend). Each time I would step out of the room to take or make a call in the last few days, Sania would ask, why do you have to leave the room to make a call? It was worth all the effort. In the evening, Sania wanted to know if we had anything planned. I told her we had nothing planned. Later, some of her friends brought her to the party hall, making some excuse, and she was thrilled. You could see it on her face."

Unlike in the days of Nasima's youth, birthdays these days, especially a one as significant as the number 21, take on a whole different hue. "When I was growing up, it was just another birthday. I was married by the time I was 23," Nasima said. "It is important, however, to be aware of the significance of the occasion to today's youngsters. With my daughters, one 14 and the other 21, I have always believed in a dialogue. I listen to what they have to say and in turn they listen to what I have to say to them. Parenting is about understanding, it is give and take."

"Sania has been an obedient daughter," Nasima added. "She has been that all her 21 years. On this special day, I wish her another four or five great years in tennis, and then I wish she settles down. Whether she chooses to carry on playing after that is her choice, but I would like to see her settle down. Most of all I wish God grants her the strength to face whatever life has in store for her, on and off the court."

"She has been an exceptional child," Nasima said. "I am proud of her every moment of the day. There are also those extra special moments, like during the American hardcourt circuit this summer, all the nice things commentators and other players were saying about her. It's a nice to know that you have done well by your children."

All in all it was an emotional day for the birthday mom. "My younger daughter (Anam, 14) surprised me with a cake. Sania bought me a watch and for the first time in 22 years of my married life my husband went to a boutique picked the material and had a suit made for me. It's beautiful, it fits perfectly and I am wearing it today," Nasima enthused. "But really the best birthday gift my husband could give me is my daughter. Nothing can top that. My wish for her is that she can one day be the world's number 1 player. I believe she can."

Source: http://sports.indiatimes.com/Surprise_birthday_party_for_Sania/articleshow/2544303.cms

Sania Hopes To Make Top 20 In 2008

Out of action due to a stomach injury, Sania Mirza hopes to improve her performance in the 2008 season and make the top 20 of the WTA rankings.

"I am playing my best and will strive to achieve a ranking of 20 before the end of the 2008 season," Sania said at promotional event here on Wednesday.

The 32-ranked player tried to avoid questions on the issue of match-fixing in the men’s circuit saying, "it does not happen in the women’s circuit to my knowledge. I have not experienced any such instances. If it is happening on the ATP circuit, it is not good for the game. I am not that experienced to make any comment on such things."

On Justine Henin’s domination on the WTA circuit, Sania said, "Henin is a lady Federer. She is what Federer (Roger) is on the men’s circuit. She is a terror for all players and she wins whatever tournament that she competes in."

Sania Climbs Up In Doubles Ranking

Sania Mirza moved up one place in the doubles ranking to the 18th position, while she clung on to the 32nd place for the fourth consecutive week in the singles chart of the latest WTA rankings.

The 20-year-old Hyderabadi, who has been out of the circuit because of a stomach injury, will be back in action in the Hopman Cup along with upcoming Rohan Bopanna.

Meanwhile, in the ATP rankings there were no significant movements as all the Indians managed to hold to their previous week positions.

In the previous week, Bopanna slipped one place to take the 261st spot, while Prakash Amritraj clung on to his 271th place.

Another Indian, Sunil Kumar Sipaeya, after his good performance in the 10,000 dollars ITF grass court event in Lahore, last week jumped a whooping 34 places to take the 561st spot.

In the doubles ATP rankings too, the movement was static with veteran Leander Paes holding on to his last week's four place jump to the 13th position and Mahesh Bhupathi also managing to retain his 21st spot.

Sania Mirza's Other Calling

Tennis star Sania Mirza on her time off is doing more than just relaxing. Sania is to appear in an ad campaign of her home town Hyderabad's municipal corporation, designed to motivate voters to seek voter Id cards. Sania joins cricketer V V S Laxman and a host of celebrities, who will feature in the campaign over the next one month.

Sania Mirza is on a different turf these days, practicing her lines before her take. Sania's appeal is towards the voters in Hyderabad, requesting them to get their photo-identity voter's Id cards. This ad campaign for the city's municipal corporation, will be on air over the next one month on various local television channels.

As Sania Mirza quotes, "When you do something for others, it comes out naturally." Responding to the question of whether she possesses a voter Id card, Mirza states that, "No, I did not get the time but now I will apply."

Lending his voice for this cause, was another Hyderabadi sportsperson, V V S Laxman emerging fresh from the County Cricket victory and ready for the Ranji series.

As per the available statistics, just 25% of Hyderabad's electorate took pains to get photo Id cards last time during the elections. During the current drive to issue photo cards, these 60 second spots include appeals made by a host of celebrities from across the world sports and the entertainment world living in the city, that is surely going to fetch in genuine voters and eliminate the illegal nationals getting voter cards by proxy.

Election authorities in Hyderabad are really hoping that, this ad campaign would make all the difference in the state.

Source: http://www.timesnow.tv/NewsDtls.aspx?NewsID=4078

Sania Mirza Out To Enjoy Break

An abrupt injury-enforced pullout from the final leg of the season is proving to be a blessing in disguise for Sania Mirza.

After returning home in mid-October after a stomach muscle injury, the 20-year-old said she is enjoying life away from the tennis courts.

"It's after two years that I got a long break and I want to enjoy every bit of it. I don't want to think about tennis now," Sania told TOI on Wednesday.

She described her comeback after a career threatening injury earlier this year as one of the best moment in her life. "Doing very well after the knee injury in February was great. I feel it was one of the best moments in my life."

Injured Sania Returns Home

Tennis star Sania Mirza returned home after cutting short the last-leg of her schedule for the year as she pulled her stomach muscle in the quarterfinal against Flavia Pennetta in Japan two weeks ago.

“With the specific objective of finishing in the top 25 of the world rankings and thereby getting a direct seeding in next year’s Australian Open, Sania played on despite considerable discomfort in the Moscow and the Zurich Opens. But the injury seemed to be getting worse without the much-needed rest,” Imran Mirza, father of Sania, said.

Consequently, Sania had to pull out of the Austrian and the Canadian events scheduled in the next two weeks.

More importantly, the Hyderabad tennis sensation will be playing in the Hopman Cup in Perth from December 30 along with Rohan Bopanna.

However, this means that she will have to miss a WTA world ranking tournament which will take place around that time. — Principal Correspondent.

Stomach Injury Pulls Sania Down

A stomach muscle injury has cut short Sania Mirza's 2007 season in its final leg, leaving the 20-year-old's hopes of being seeded at next year's Australian Open hanging in balance.

Mirza suffered the injury during her quarterfinal loss to Flavia Pennetta in Japan two weeks ago but played in the Tier I tournaments of Moscow and Zurich with aim of reaching her season's goal of reaching number 25 in world rankings. But that was not to be as she lost in the first round in both the weeks, to Gisela Dulko and Michaella Krajicek respectively. "A victory in round one of either Moscow or Zurich would have fetched her 60 WTA points and that would have ensured her goal," Imran Mirza, the Hyderabadi player's father, said.

Mirza, who returned to her home in Hyderabad last night, was scheduled to play in the next two weeks in Austria ($600,000) and Canada ($175,000) from where she has since withdrawn, her father added.

Imran Mirza, however, confirmed that his daughter would play in the Hopman Cup, the mixed team event to be played in Perth, Australia, from December 30. Rohan Bopanna is the other member of the Indian team.

The flip side of playing in the Hopman Cup is that Sania Mirza would end the year with her current ranking of 30 or below. Only the top 32 get seeded in Grand Slams. The Australian Open starts on Jan 14.

But Mirza was intent on pushing such thoughts out of her mind for the moment.

"I am mentally tired and my body is crying out for a break. I'm looking forward to a rest and then a great season next year," Mirza said.

"It has been a long and hard year for me, where I had to make repeated comebacks from two serious injuries (knee and wrist) and a surgery."

Sania-Schnyder Crash Out Of Doubles At Zurich Open

Sania Mirza and her partner Patty Schnyder have been knocked out of the first round in the women's doubles of the Zurich Open.

The pair was beaten by Shuai Peng of Chin and Meilen Tu of the United States in straight sets 3-6, 1-6.

Earlier, the 20-year-old India had been knocked out in the first round of the singles' event of the $1.3 million Zurich Open.

Sania lost in straight sets to Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands 6-1, 6-4. She had also lost to Gisela Dulko of Argentina in the first round of the Kremlin Cup a few days back.

Sania has also slipped one spot to be ranked 30th in the latest WTA rankings.

Source: http://www.ibnlive.com/news/saniaschnyder-crash-out-of-doubles-at-zurich-open/50747-5-22.html

Sania-Bopanna Get Direct Entry To Hopman Cup

Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna have been given direct entry for this year's Hopman Cup on the basis of their surprise good show in the last edition of the event.

The duo is the fourth team to be given direct entry for the 20th edition of the tournament slated from December 29 to January 4 in Perth.

Last year, India qualified for the event after winning the inaugural Asian Hopman Cup. They went on to upset Croatia and the Czech Republic before a loss to Spain prevented them from reaching the final.

Sania and Bopanna were undefeated in the mixed doubles and finished second in their group last year, which led to the organisers extending a direct invite to the pair this time.

"I am delighted to invite India directly into the field. It's a just reward for their challenge last year and for Sania's considerable progress this year," Tournament Director Paul McNamee said.

"Sania is a bona fide superstar in India and at only 20 years of age is on target to reach her goal of being the first Indian woman in the top 20," he added.

However, Sania has not been having the best of times of late. She was recently struggling with a wrist injury and has dropped to 30th in WTA rankings this week.

Though Sania had a brilliant run at the US hard courts this summer -- beating the likes of Martina Hingis, Dinara Safina, Shahar Peer and Patty Schnyder -- but her form has been inconsistent since then.

After her return to the WTA tour following her recovery from the wrist injury, she has suffered two back-to-back first round exits -- in Kremlin Cup and this week's Zurich Open.

In contrast, Bopanna has had a successful year on the Challenger circuit winning a singles tournament in Dublin and five doubles titles which propelled him to 86th in the ATP doubles ranking.

Apart from the four teams, the Asian Hopman cup winners will be the fifth side in the annual event in Perth.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/007200710161340.htm

Sania-Schnyder Duo Crashes Out In Kremlin Doubles Quarters

India’s Sania Mirza and her Swiss partner Patty Schnyder crashed out in the quarterfinal of the $2,340,000 Kremlin Cup. The top seeds Cara Black of Zimbabwe and Liezel Huber of South Africa overpowered the Sania-Schnyder duo 6-3, 5-7, 10-7 in an entrancing match of the WTA meet played at the Olympic stadium in Moscow on Thursday.

After losing the first set, Sania and her partner Schnyder regained their lost touch in the second set and won it 7-5 while they strived to win the match by giving a sturdy fight in the third set stretching it to 17 games, but Black and Huber turned out to be the winner at the end by eventually clinching the set 10-7 with luck must have been surely riding on their side as well.

It is strange enough that Sania and Huber played in a number of tournaments together and won various titles as well. The 29th ranked Sania came in to this tournament after a quarterfinal appearance at the Japan Open last week

Earlier on Monday, the 20-year old Sania Mirza crashed out, in the first round of the singles event of Tier I tournament in an hour and 15 minutes going down, 3-6, 4-6 to Argentine Gisela Dulko. This was the third straight time that the Argentinean had beaten the Indian in their meeting so far.

Source: http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/1137

Sania Crashes Out Of The WTA Kremlin Open Singles

Sania Mirza crashed out of the WTA Kremlin Cup in the first round going down 6-3, 6-4 to Argentine Gisela Dulko in Moscow on Monday.

The 29th ranked Indian could not find her bearings and went out of the $2,340,000 Tier I tournament in an hour and 15 minutes.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/10/stories/2007101056691900.htm

Sania Moves To Doubles Second Round Of The Kremlin Open

Sania Mirza and Patty Schnyder of Switzerland beat Vera Dushevina of Russia and Tatiana Perebiyinis of Ukraine in straight sets to advance to the second round in the doubles competition of the WTA Kremlin Open.

The Indo-Swiss combination scored a 6-1 6-3 win to set up a clash with top seed Cara Black of Zimbabwe and Liezel Huber of USA.

Cara and Huber had outplayed the Russian pair of Maria Kirlenko and Elena Vesnina 6-2 6-2 in the first round.

Sania has already crashed out of the singles event, losing her first round match to Argentine Gisela Dulko on Tuesday.

Source: http://sports.indiatimes.com/Sania_moves_to_doubles_second_round/articleshow/2446310.cms

Sania, Fusano Sail To The Quarter Final Of Japan Open

Sania Mirza and her American partner Christina Fusano advanced to the quarterfinals of USD 175,000 Japan Open with a straight set victory over the Polish-Romanian pair of Ursula Radwansaka and Agnes Szatmari in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Sania and Fusano beat their rivals 6-3 6-2. The Indo-American pair will now take on the winner of the first-round match between the Spanish duo of Arantxi Parra Santonja and Lourdes Dominguez Lino and the Colombian-American combine of Catalina Castano and Abigail Spears.

Sania had earlier won her singles opener against local wild-card Ayumi Morita. The second seeded Indian will be up against Australian Casey Dellacqua in the second round.

Sania-Fusano In Japan Open Quarters

Sania Mirza and her American partner Christina Fusano advanced to the quarterfinals of $175,000 Japan Open with a straight set victory over the Polish-Romanian pair of Ursula Radwansaka and Agnes Szatmari in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Sania and Fusano beat their rivals 6-3, 6-2.

The Indo-American pair will now take on the winner of the first-round match between the Spanish duo of Arantxi Parra Santonja and Lourdes Dominguez Lino and the Colombian-American combine of Catalina Castano and Abigail Spears.

Sania had earlier won her singles opener against local wildcard Ayumi Morita. The second seeded Indian will be up against Australian Casey Dellacqua in the second round.

Source: http://sports.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2422290.cms

Sania Advances To Second Round Of Japan Open

Playing her first match since US Open, Sania Mirza started her Japan Open campaign in style by outplaying local player Ayumi Morita 6-0 6-4 in the first round of the USD 1,75,000 tennis tournament in Tokyo on Monday.

The second seeded Indian, who skipped the Sunfeast Open in Kolkata due to a wrist injury, next faces Australian Cassey Dellacqua in the Tier III event.

Sania, pairing with American Christina Fusano, will open her doubles campaign on Tuesday against Urszula Radwanska of Poland and Agnes Szatmari of Romania.

The tournament saw its first upset when seventh seed and local hope Aiko Nakamura lost 3-6 4-6 to Czech Republic's Klara Zakopalova.

Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/

Oops! Double Jolt For Sania, Slips One Place Each In Singles And Doubles

India’s tennis sensation Sania Mirza slipped one place down in both singles and doubles latest WTA rankings released today. Sania has been able to maintain her 27 th position for the last three weeks but couldn’t hold further due to a fortnight long absence from the court.

The 20-year-old Hyderabadi girl who is out of action after losing to Russian Anna Chakvetadze in the third round of the US Open, has been nursing a wrist injury, which also forced her to miss the Sunfeast Open WTA event that concluded in Kolkata yesterday.

According to latest WTA rankings, Sania now stands at 28 th in singles and 19 th in doubles event. However, her compatriot Sunitha Rao is back in the top-200 bracket as she jumped 15 places up from 211 to 196. This could become possible only because, she managed to move in to the second round of the just concluded Sunfeast Open.

The newly crowned Sunfeast Open champion Maria Kirilenko of Russia is just one place behind Sania in the singles ranking. She climbed up six places to be placed at the 29 th spot by virtue of her victory in the Sunfeast Open yesterday.

Source: http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/992

Sania Needs To Do More

Sania Mirza, India’s tennis icon for aspiring women players has been on a song in recent weeks. In fact she has never had so good after her big jump two years ago. And when she beat Martina Hingis, currently ranked 12 in the world, to enter the pre-quarter-finals of the $600,000 WTA Tour event in Los Angeles, Sania appeared to have reached her maximum potential

Having drifted into the wilderness somewhat after her dizzy rise, Sania appears to have spent a lot of time learning even while recuperating from niggling injuries. The improvement showed in the Cincinnati Open where she made the semi-final grade. This was followed with the final in Stanford and another impressive display in San Diego pushed her up to the quarter-finals.

In all these tournaments she beat players rated well above her, and with the victory over Martina, she stood at 29, a ranking she could not have possibly dreamt of at the beginning of the year where nothing worked for her. By August end, the 20-year old Hyderabadi scaled new career-high rankings - 27th in singles and four places to 20th in doubles in the latest WTA rankings.

Sania Mirza is the best thing that could have happened to Indian women’s tennis. Her achievements have been followed keenly by younger players and today, thanks to Sania, more and more girls are taking to the game. That of course was to be expected.

Indian tennis is certainly on the move at the lower level though one wishes the same could be said for the higher spots where it would be impossible to think of the country’s fate but for aging shoulders of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, still formidable personalities, particularly in the doubles irrespective of whom they are partnering. Following his recent exploits at New Haven partnering Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia, Mahesh Bhupathi rose two places to figure at the 18th position, while his erstwhile partner Leander Paes maintained his 8th position.

In the ATP rankings released August end, Rohan Bopanna dropped an unimaginable 38 places to stand at 261st position. His other compatriots Prakash Amritraj and upcoming Karan Rastogi also followed his suit slipping two and four places, to be placed at 272nd and 344th positions respectively. The only consolation in the singles rankings was Sunil Kumar Sipaeya, moving up six rungs to be in the 446th position.

Coming back to Sania Mirza, one feels that the Indian star, despite the tremendous performance in recent weeks, has to work much harder if she has to break into the top twenties or even higher ranks. There is a lot of difference in the tennis played in these categories.

The difference was obvious when Sania met Maria Sharapova, the Russian ace recently. Maria won in straight sets, hardly raising a sweat and Sania was brought down to the earth. In fact, it is a different ball game when players in the top ten meet players in the top twenty and lower.

Sania has to improve her service if she has to make an impression in the top ten. She has the determination and that should help her work to match with the highest grade of players in the world. But for that she has to wait for some more time.

Source: http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/7447

Sachin, Sania Admire Each Other

Cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar and tennis star Sania Mirza may have won plaudits for performing well in their chosen disciplines, but that has not diminished their admiration for each other.

While Sania admires the little master's ability to handle enormous pressure for years, Tendulkar is gung ho over Sania's accomplishments on the tennis court.

Declaring that Tendulkar was her childhood hero, 20-year-old Sania today said, "I just wonder how he handles so much pressure. I admire him because now I have to handle a lot of pressure myself. But he is doing that for years."

The glamorous tennis star said such was the level of expectation from Tendulkar that when he got out for 97 it was written that he got out at a score below 100.

Tendulkar, a keen follower of tennis, said the exploits of players like Sania, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi made him feel proud.

"It is wonderful to see such terrific players turning out for India. With such sports personalities around, you feel proud to be an Indian," the little master said.

"I've followed her rise in rankings. She is progressing well. It's terrific and I am confident that she will be right there among the top players," Tendulkar said.

While Sania said she would have loved to be a cricketer had she not taken to tennis, Tendulkar regretted that he would not have the opportunity to play with the Hyderabadi in the fun tennis scheduled for the afternoon.

"Unfortunately, I'm not a guy. Otherwise, I could have become a cricketer," Sania said.

"I would have loved to play with Sania. She is one of the hardest hitters of balls on court. You see balls flying fast. She has that special gift," the cricketer said.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/007200709181965.htm

Sania Uncertain For Sunfeast Open: Bhupathi

Sania Mirza, nursing a wrist injury, will take a final decision on her participation in the next week's $175,000 WTA Sunfeast Open only after reaching here, said Mahesh Bhupathi, who heads tournament promoters 'Globosport'.

Sania, on a roll in the WTA circuit this year, has been troubled by the nagging injury for a long time and aggravated it during her US Open campaign.

"We know she is injured. But she'll definitely travel to Kolkata where she will take the final decision. At this moment, we don't know the extent of her injury," Bhupathi said.

The ace doubles player, however, said Sania as well as the organisers were hoping that her wrists recovers in time so that she takes part in the tournament, which might otherwise lose some of its sheen.

"She will take a final call on participating in the event closer to the tournament. We are hoping that she will play. And I can tell you, she is also hoping the same," he said.

"We're even prepared to delay her opening match if that makes it possible for her to take to the court," Bhupathi said.

Sania, the country' best ever women's tennis star, has zoomed to the 27th spot in WTA rankings after a series of good showings in the last few months.

Equally acclaimed for her on-court aggression, blitz forehand as also her beauty and glamour, Sania had been the biggest crowdpuller in the first two years of the tourney in 2005 and 2006.

Though she lost in the second round in the inaugural year, Sania reached the singles semis last year losing to top seed Swiss Miss Martina Hingis besides lifting the doubles title pairing South African Liezel Huber.

With the tournament hardly drawing a full house in the first two years of its existence despite Sania's presence, the organisers could find the returns from ticket sales harder to come if Sania is forced to opt out.

Source: http://sports.indiatimes.com/Sania_uncertain_for_Sunfeast_Open/articleshow/2359482.cms

Sania Ready For Sunfeast Open

High on confidence after a successful US hard court season, Sania Mirza says she is keen to prove herself in front of home fans in the upcoming Sunfeast Open.

Sania said her improved fitness was a key factor in her recent success and that she was eager to give her best at the USD 170,000 WTA Tour event without any fear of "winning or losing".

"Right now I am focusing on my fitness and I will be happy if I continue the same level of fitness in the Sunfeast Open. Winning or losing doesn't matter to me," she said.

Sania said her five wins against top-20 players and getting the better of former world number one Martina Hingis were her best moments during the remarkable run in the US.

"One of the most satisfying things has been defeating Hingis. Winning against the top-20 players has been a high point as well," Sania said on her return from the US.

The 20-year-old Indian had a stupendous two-month sojourn, rising to 26th in world rankings as she reached the semifinals in Cincinnati and her maiden final of a USD 600,000 event in Stanford.

"It has been a fabulous hard court tour for me. I am happy with the progress I have made. It feels great to be in the top-30," the Hyderabadi girl said.

Asked what was her next target, Sania said, "I am taking it as it comes."

On hiring a full-time coach, Sania said she was gaining a lot from the present arrangement of former men's player Gabriel Urpi advising her during important events while her father Imran Mirza donned the role of the coach.

"Right now I am happy with the team available to me. Urpi and my father are combining to help me," she said.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/007200709092240.htm

Sania's US Open Campaign Ends With Doubles Loss

Sania Mirza crashed out of the women's doubles of the US Open at the Flushing Meadows in New York on Tuesday when she and her American partner Bethanie Mattek lost their quarter-final match.

The Indo-American pair failed to get past fifth seed Yung-Jan Chan and Chia-Jung Chauang of Taiwan.

Sania and Bethanie lost the first set 3-6 but came right back to take the second 6-3.

They were in control of the game in the third set as well but the Taaiwanese pair won some crucial points in the end to take the decider 6-4 and with it the match.

With the loss Sania's campaign at the Flushing Meadows has come to an end.

Source: http://www.ibnlive.com/news/sanias-us-open-campaign-ends-with-doubles-loss/48077-5.html

Sania Scratching Her Head To Solve Chakvetadze Mystery

Sania Mirza's victory caravan halts abruptly at a speed breaker called Anna Chakvetadze and, after the US Open third round loss, the Indian ace is scratching her head over how to clear the obstacle off her way in future.

Sania was tamed by Chakvetadze 6-2, 6-3 at the Flushing Meadows yesterday and it was the fourth time in her career that the Hyderabadi fell to the World No.6 Russian meekly.

"I find it very hard to play her. She is very hard for a lot of players. I had to do something different. I didn't change it up enough," Sania said after her US Open dream came crashing down.

In the tune-up to the season-ending Grand Slam, Sania was in great form and defeated four top-20 players. But every time she met Chakvetadze, the story unfolded with the same script.

Sania lost to the 20-year-old Russian in the finals at Stanford, in semifinals in Cincinnati and in the last-four encounter at Hobart in January.

So far, in all the four meetings, Sania has been able to win just one set.

"You have to find a way to win. There are very few Grand Slam champions and finalists. That's our target. We are trying to get there," Sania said.

Sania Mirza Out!

Sania Mirza still cannot find a way to overcome her friend and former junior doubles partner Anna Chakvetadze, who ousted the 26th-seeded India star from the US Open in straight sets Saturday.

Russian world number six Chakvetadze downed Mirza 6-2, 6-3 in a third-round showdown of 20-year-old rising stars at the year's final Grand Slam tournament, improving her career and season mastery over Mirza to 4-0.

Chakvetadze ousted Sania Mirza in a Hobart semi-final in January and defeated her again in July at a Cincinnati semi-final and the final at Stanford. The Russian won the title in each of those tournaments.

Chakvetadze hit a forehand winner to break Mirza's first service game of the match and broke again in the last game of the set when Mirza hit a forehand long after having denied the Russian on two prior set points.

Mirza fell behind 5-1 in the second set before rallying, breaking when Chakvetadze sent a backhand wide and denying the sixth seed on a match point when the Russian sent a forehand wide.

Chakvetadze held serve to end the match after 53 minutes on a forehand winner, advancing to a round of 16 match against either Swiss 11th seed Patty Schnyder of Austria's Tamira Paszek.

Source: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gxUZYKH_73OKJN7sRmHScq86liqA

US Open: Sania Beats Kaia To Enter Round 2

Indian star Sania Mirza won two sets on a canter but lost one between the two in a tiebreak as she advanced to the second round of the US Open on Tuesday.

Sania beat Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1 in an hour and 40 minutes on a hot day at the Flushing Meadows. On a day when her serve proved quite effective she sent down eight aces to Kanepi’s two — Sania won the first set in just 26 minutes after twice breaking her opponent’s service. When she herself was under pressure, Sania hit her way out of trouble with powerful groundstrokes.

In the second set, the game was even Kanepi had more winners (15 to 9) but the two had one break opportunity each. Both converted the break-points and the set thus went to tiebreak, which Kanepi took 7-5. Sania’s serve was firing again in the third set her first serve percentage was 63 and she sent down three aces. Sania had three chances to break Kanepi, she converted two of them to win the set in 26 minutes.

Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/

Sania Moves To Second Round Of US Open

Sania Mirza overcame a dropped set to beat Estonian Kaia Kanepi 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1 and move into the second round of the singles event at the US Open on Tuesday.

Seeded 26th, Sania was made to sweat by her unheralded opponent for about one hour and 40 minutes before the Indian came through.

Sania, world number 27, now meets 60th ranked Laura Granville in the second round, after the American routed Frenchwoman Olivia Sanchez 6-2, 6-2.

The Hyderabadi began well by pocketing the first set, conceding just two games, before the Estonian hit back.

Sania did manage to stretch the second set to a tie-breaker but, Kanepi had the last laugh as stayed afloat and forced a decider.

In the final set, Sania was in her elements again and broke the Estonian twice. She dropped just one game in the set and was serving for match when Kanepi buried a return into the net and bowed out.

Sania Moves Up To Rank 27

Sania Mirza moves up one place to the 27th spot in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings released Monday.

Sania now has 926 points from 22 tours. She also moved up four places in the doubles to 20 with 1,536 points.

Sania, Bhupathi Provide Double Delight For Indian Fans

It was double delight for Indian tennis fans with Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi lifting women's and men's doubles titles respectively at the Pilot Pen tournament at New Haven, USA.

Sania and her Italian partner Mara Santangelo, seeded third, crushed top seeds Cara Black and Liezel Huber in the women's doubles final in their late night match Saturday.

Top seeds Bhupathi and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia defeated fourth seeds Polish tandem Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski 6-3, 6-3 earlier in the day.

Sania and Mara made short work of the Zimbabwe-South African pair to win the final match in just 53 minutes in the $600,000 WTA Tier II event, which was last in the tune-up to the US Open Grand Slam beginning in New York Monday.

Huber held serve in the first game of the match but then the Mirza-Santangelo combo rolled through nine straight games, barely looking back en route to the straight set victory over the world's top team.

Playing in just their second event together, the Indian earned her seventh career Tour doubles title and her fourth this year while Mara won her sixth career Tour doubles title and her fifth this year.

Bhupathi and Zimonjic, who claimed their first title in four tries at the Pilot Pen event, didn't drop any sets but were put to the test in every single one of three matches leading upto the final of the $675,250 ATP event.

Zimonjic praised Bhupathi, saying "Mahesh is one of the greatest doubles players. He has won the US Open twice and I hope that I can win it once. I hope we can continue with this form and maybe play even better. I think Mahesh had a really good summer by winning Montreal and here."

Sania In Doubles Finals At The Pilot Pen Classic

Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi fought their way to the doubles finals of their respective events at the Pilot Pen Classic in New Haven, USA.

Though it was a straight-set victory for Bhupathi and his Serbian partner Nenad Zimonjic, the going was not easy for the top seeds who managed a 7-5, 7-6 (2) win over Eric Butorac of the US and Australian Ashley Fisher to book their berth in the men's doubles summit clash.

In the final, the Indo-Serbian pair will meet Polish duo of Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski.

Fourth-seeded Fyrstenberg and Matkowski defeated Jordan Kerr of Australia and Jamie Murray of Britain 6-2, 6-3.

Sania had even tougher a task at hand as the Hyderabadi along with Italian Mara Santangelo pipped second-seeded Kveta Peschke of Czech Republic and Rennae Stubbs of Australia 2-6, 6-3, 10-5 in the women's doubles semis.

The third-seeded Indo-Italian combination will take on top-seeded Zimbabwean Cara Black and Liezel Huber of the USA in the title clash.

In the semifinals, Black and Huber got past the Czech-USA pair of Iveta Benesova and Bethanie Mattek 4-6, 6-0, 10-5.

Sania And Bhupathi Advance To Pilot Pen Semis Doubles

Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi continued their fine doubles form as they stormed into the semifinals of their respective events with straight set victories at the Pilot Pen Classic in New Haven, US.

While the top seeded pair of Bhupathi and his Czech partner Nenad Zimonjic beat Spaniards David Ferrer and Albert Montanes 7-6 (3) 7-6 (3), third seeds Sania and Italian Mara Santangelo defeated wildcards Janette Husorova (Slovakia) and Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) 6-3 7-5 in the quarterfinals yesterday.

Bhupathi and Zimonjic will next play the US-Australian duo of Eric Butorac and Ashley Fisher, who beat the Czech pair of Frantisek Cermak and Leos Friedel 6-2 6-4 in the other quarterfinal.

Sania and Santangelo, meanwhile, have a tough match on hand as they square off against the second seeded Czech-Australian pair of Kveta Peschke and Rennae Stubbs in the last four stage.

Stubbs and Peschke survived a scare from Belarussian Victoria Azarenka and Russian Maria Kirilenko before coming through 3-6 7-5 10-2 in the quarterfinal.

Sania is already out of the singles competition, having lost her second-round match to Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko.

Sania Exits In Singles, Reaches Doubles Quarters

Sania Mirza sizzled for a while before running out of steam as Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko tamed the Indian in the second round of the $ 600,000 Pilot Pen tennis tournament at New Haven, USA.

Sania's show yo-yoed during the match that lasted about one and half hours and the Indian, who did not drop a single game in the second set, eventually crashed out with a 3-6, 6-0, 3-6 defeat.

After Bondarenko had bagged the first set, Sania hit back with vengeance, breaking her opponent thrice in the second to force the decider.

In the third set, however, Bondarenko prevailed, tightening her grip over proceedings as she broke the Indian twice to pocket the set and the match.

In contrast, Sania squandered five break points in the all-important decider and had to pay dearly.

Meanwhile, though her singles hopes are over, Sania and her Italian partner Mara Santagelo reached the quarterfinals in women's doubles after they downed the American pair of Corina Morariu and Meghann Shaughnessy 6-4, 7-5.

The Sania-Mara duo will have to get the better of the Slovak-Swiss pair of Janette Husarova and Patty Schnyder to reach the semifinals.

Sania First Indian Woman To Be Seeded At US Open

Having warmed-up for the US Open with impressive performances in the past few weeks, Sania Mirza has received yet another fillip by becoming the first Indian woman to be seeded in the season's last Grand Slam.

The 20-year-old has been seeded 26th at the championship, which gets underway at the Flushing Meadows in New York from August 27. Sania, who reached a career-high WTA ranking of 28 last week, is likely to get an easy first-round draw as a result of her seeding.

The Indian, who chose to stay off the court this week, has had an impressive build-up to the championship, reaching the semi-finals of Cincinnati Open, followed by a runner-up finish at the WTA event in Stanford last month.

For the Hyderabadi-girl the high has come after a rollercoaster season so far. She made a good start to her year, reaching the semi-finals of a WTA event in Hobart.

However, a second-round exit from the Australian Open set off a series of failures for her as she struggled with a knee injury and an indifferent form for the next few months.

Sania's ranking dropped as a result and second-round exits at the French Open and Wimbledon added to her woes. However, the Indian ace fought back and made a solid start to summer hard courts in the run-up to the US Open.

Sania had to her credit five top-20 wins, which included victories over world number 12 Martina Hingis, 14-ranked Dinara Safina and 17th-ranked Patty Schnyder.

The wins propelled her rankings back to a career-high of 31 on July 30 before she broke into the top-30 this month.

Sania's dream run also stretched to doubles as she captured two WTA titles on hardcourt. The Indian partnered with American Bethannie Mattek to clinch the Cincinnati trophy before teaming up with Israeli Shahar Peer for the doubles crown in Stanford.

After achieving her aim to be in the top 30, Sania would now be keep up her good form and improve further as a player.

"As long as I keep improving and play good tennis, I feel that in the long run, the rankings will take care of themselves," she had said after regaining her career high ranking after a gap of two years.

Sania Advances To Second Round

Utilising the one-day break in her rain-interrupted opening round match to regroup herself, Sania Mirza rallied to post a facile win over Spain's Anabel Medina Gerrigues at the USD 600,000 Pilot Pen Tennis tournament at New Haven, USA.

The 28th ranked Indian star, who was trailing 0-1 in the first set on Monday when the play was postponed due to rain, defeated Medina, ranked 33rd, 6-3 6-3 at the Grandstand to advance to the second round yesterday.

Sania, who played with authority, said the delay seemed to help her.

"I was actually not feeling very well yesterday (Monday), so maybe it was a blessing in disguise that the rain came down," she said.

"I took a week of last week I felt I needed it. I feel fresh again and ready for the US Open," she added.

Sania will next play eighth seed Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine, who defeated Belarussian Olga Govortsova in their first round encounter in the Tier II tournament being played in the build-up to the US Open beginning next week.

Sania will team up with Mara Santangelo of Italy to open her doubles campaign against the American duo of Corina Morariu and Meghann Shaughnessy.

Sania And Sonia Career Chart

One who is closely watching the performances of the above two 'S' (Sania Mirza) and (Sonia Gandhi) can see meteoric rise in their career charts.

When Sania, the one and only Indian woman Tennis sensation in international tennis circuit, came into prominence, it was literally like a bolt from the blue. That pretty, fair skinned, tall, Hyderabadi lass, attired in her classic tennis suits, played her match, one after the other, in almost all the Grand Slam events in the world, none ever thought that she would make such sensational performances, by lifting up her career quite gradually from nothingness. After finding a place within the hundred tennis greats, she aimed for to place herself within the fifty greats. And after achieving that goal, she so relentlessly clings on so as now to place herself within the 30 greats. In that, her prideful moment came recently when she defeated one of the former No.1 - Martina Hingis in the East West Tennis classic. Along with her single events, she also pursued the doubles as well and gained several victories that kept her morale high. If she continues this chart, undoubtedly she would reach that level where in at least one of the Grand Slam events she may give some tough fights to some of the reigning women champions and may even clinch at least one for this country. I give all the credit to her parents who overlooked all the challenges, criticisms that came from some of the fundamentalists who even objected to her presentation in a dress code that is forbidden for Muslim women. But the much moderate parents and the convent educated Sania, whom the whole nation watches with extreme hope to bring some laurels in the coming years, didn't mind much of such narrow minded views. May the Mighty God lead, guide and enable her to achieve her goal at the earliest.

The other woman on whom the nation pinned its hopes is Sonia Gandhi. Recently, when there was heated debate over the Presidential candidate to replace Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, though Madam Sonia Gandhi in the capacity as the Congress President as well as the Chairperson of the UPA Co-ordination committee put forth several veterans but none of them suited the demands of the UPA constituents vis-à-vis the supporting Leftists. Ultimately, Sonia Gandhi was authorized to come up with a different candidate of her own choice. And when she came up with the candidature of Ms Pratibha Patil, though the main opposition NDA and another newly formed UNPA vehemently opposed it, casting several aspersions against Ms Patil, yet, Ms Pratibha Patil is now occupying Raisina Hills, winning the first ever hotly contested presidential election to become the first ever woman President in this country on the eve of its celebrating the 60th year of Independence. Remember, it was the same Sonia Gandhi whose nomination as the Prime Minister of this country was so vehemently opposed by the Bharatiya Janata Party led NDA in 2004. Some women parliamentarians of the BJP like Sushma Swaraj and Uma Bharati took such vows that were quite unparalleled in contemporary Indian history. So what, doubtlessly, Sonia Gandhi is now the de-facto Prime Minister vis-à-vis the all powerful woman in Indian polity. Whenever one thinks about the secret behind her strength and success, one can only conclude that her strength lies in her silence. In the much troubled and much maligned Indian politics, this Italian born, Indian settled Bahu of the Nehru parivar rolled so well to the requirements of time that perhaps this was the true meaning of 'our tryst with destiny' which her great grandfather-in-law meant in his speech at the stroke of midnight on 14-15th August 1947 while unfurling the tricolour thereby heralding the freedom of this great nation.

Source: http://www.centralchronicle.com/20070820/2008304.htm

Sania Ranked Sixth On WTA Power Index

Sania Mirza is ranked No.6 in the newly introduced Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Power Index after the East West Bank Classic Championship at Los Angeles.

The new statistics, launched last week, represents a totalled analysis of a player’s fastest shots during a match including first and second serves, groundstroke (forehand or backhand), first and second-serve returns and smash /volley. The final Power Index ‘score’ is an average of all six individual statistics. Each player’s Power Index reflects their personal best for the week.

Venus Williams topped the index after Week One at the Acura Classic in San Diego with 98.8 mph. Yaroslava Shvedova bettered the index, recording 102.9 mph to top the charts at East West Bank Classic in Los Angeles.

The Power Index leaders at the East West Bank Classic:
1. Yaroslava Shvedova (Rus) 102.9 mph,
2. Nadia Petrova (Rus) 97.4,
3. Ana Ivanovic ( Sbr) 95.6,
4. Meghann Shaughnessy (U.S.) 94.8,
5. Victoria Azarenka (Blr) 93.9,
6. Sania Mirza (Ind) 93.8,
7. Maria Kirilenko (Rus) 93.5,
8. Shuai Peng (Chn) 93.3,
9. Eelena Demntieva (Rus) 92.1,
10. Maria Sharapova (Rus) 91.0.

Assured Sania Mirza Eyes Top 20

You'll hear it every day, in every arena, at every age, in every sport. Confidence.

It's either high or it's lost, it shows in the shining face and tells in the wilting shoulders, it's what you find when you win and what you find it's hard to win without. Everyone knows what it feels like to own, but no can quite definitively describe it.

But Sania Mirza is giving it a shot, trying to explain how the mindset alters, how assuredness translates onto the court. She talks about when confidence leaks, "you find you miss the lines by an inch", but when you're winning, and the mind sings with conviction, "you hit the lines, you just believe 'I can go for a winner'."

We're talking confidence because Mirza, up to No 29 in the world, is enjoying being a temporary owner of it, having spent a year searching for it, finding it, using it, relishing it.

Hardy competitor

All belief accumulated from an encouraging start to the year was initally undone by a knee injury in March-April, yet Mirza, whose forehand flashes like her eyes, is a defiant beast.

She has rebounded this autumn with a staggering run of semi-final (Cincinnati), final (Stanford), quarter-final (San Diego), third round (Los Angeles), scrapping and slogging her way to consecutive wins over players ranked Nos 44, 19, 17, 22, 18, 44, 14, 12. Of course, she's "on a high", beating top 20 players, and then getting there herself, is her goal.

Players like Mirza, not an outrageous talent like Serena Williams but a hardy, arresting competitor, take small leaps, edge ahead in miniature bursts. All she asks from herself is proof of improvement, and it has come. Not yet 21, she is the first Indian to travel so far up the ranking ladder since Ramesh Krishnan touched No 23 in 1985.

Mirza is doing what you'd expect of any athlete, she's growing. Her first serve percentage is higher and her backhand feels sweeter. Her enhanced fitness, she says, allows her to get into better positions, or to run around her forehand if necessary. She won only six of 19 three-setters last year, but eight of 12 this year, and four of five during her four-week run.

Deep into matches, a leaner body helps, but more so a meaner mind. "I'm mentally more tough," she insists, pointing to her first-round match against Akiko Morgiami in Stanford where she was down a set, and then first 1-4, and then 3-5, yet extracted a win.

That match, and these four weeks, have been her "turning point", she says. Small lessons have been learnt and stored in the tennis library in her brain.

It didn't matter that the quality of tennis in the Morigami match wasn't the best, or that she was cramping the next day, she was glowing because "it's good to pull out tough matches, you get your self-belief back." As Indian tennis star Mahesh Bhupathi says about her: "Confidence comes from playing well and winning close matches that you're not supposed to or weren't earlier."

Scent of aggression

The education of Sania Mirza is a beautiful thing to watch. Her contests are with hundreds of women on the tour, yet also with herself. And every week this autumn her wings have grown an inch.

All athletes search for the time when they can fashion victory even on days when their rackets are a trifle disobedient, and Mirza says, some days she has got to this place. "It's impossible to play a good match every day, but I was finding a way to win".

If Mirza is thinking more about her game, she is compelling her opponents to think more about her. Her style will always carry the scent of aggression, but some of the rawness has been sand-papered.

"People earlier thought, put four balls in and she'll make a mistake or a winner," Mirza says. "When you don't, they wonder, why is she not missing, and they have to force the issue." Earlier, she concedes, "I probably did not have a plan B".

But how far she has come, how far removed the Mirza of August is from the Mirza of June, how transformed she is by winning a few matches, is evident in two stories she tells.

Mental toughness

In June this year, she lost 7-6 in the third to Mara Santangelo in Birmingham, and the next week against Francesca Schivaone in the Netherlands, she was up a set and a break, but subconsciously started thinking about Birmingham, about a match she had let go. In one of the classic signs of shaky confidence, Mirza started hoping Schivaone "would give me the points, make an error, rather than me taking it".

She lost.

Yet in August, when drawn against Shahar Peer, No.18, in San Diego, Mirza didn't blink, her belief surged. It's one of the tougher first rounds on the tour, yet she says, "I didn't believe I was going to lose, even though she was a top 20 player, even after losing the second set." She'd been to the final in Stanford the previous week and her mind was brimming with self-assurance. It still is.

Mirza will know that confidence dissipates as effortlessly as it arrives, a few bad matches and self-doubt infects the joints. So she has to make the most of this run, use its momentum, creep up the ranking ladder.

Bhupathi, who maintains she has top 20 potential, indicates that not much separates players ranked Nos.20-30 from those ranked Nos.5-20. As he says: "They are all as fit, their ability almost the same, it's about the mental toughness to win bigger matches at bigger tournaments."

Mirza, whose voice is alive with confidence, echoes Bhupathi's belief that not much distinguishes players inside and outside that top 20.

"Maybe", she says, "you can ask me (the difference) after the US Open for maybe I'll be in the top 20". It may not happen, but she has to believe it will.

If you would like to send a comment about this story you can use the form below.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Sania Moves Up To Rank 29

Sania Mirza's inspiring win over former world No.1 Martina Hingis of Switzerland at the East West Bank Classic tournament in Los Angeles helped her move up one place to the 29th spot in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings released Monday.

Sania now has 915 points. She also moved up one place in the doubles to 25 with 1,321 points.

Sania and her American partner Bethanie Mattek reached the quarterfinal of the East West Bank Classic, which boosted their improvement in the doubles rankings.

Sania-Bethanie Bows Out Of East West Bank Classic

Sania Mirza and her American partner Bethanie Mattek crashed out of the USD 600,000 East West Bank Classic doubles event following a straight set quarter-final loss to second seeds Rennae Stubbs and Kveta Peschke here.

Sania and Mattek went down 6-7 (2) 4-6 to the Australian-Czech duo in a match that lasted close to one and a half hours.

The opening set was a tightly contested affair with both pairs breaking each other three times each but Stubbs and Peschke landed more winners, besides having a better first serve percentage, to go 1-0 set up after clinching the tie-breaker.

Sania and Mattek failed to recover from the setback and wasted five break points in the second set as their opponents wrapped up the match in their favour.

Stubbs and Peschke will now face the fourth seeded combination of Russian Maria Kirilenko and Gisela Dulko of Argentina in the last four.

Sania has already bowed out of the singles, losing in the pre-quarterfinals and yesterday's doubles defeat ended her campaign at the hardcourt event.

Sania Crashes Out Of East West Bank Classic In LA

France's Virginie Razzano beat India's Sania Mirza 6-1, 7-6 in the pre-quarterfinal match of the East West Bank Classic women's tennis tournament at Los Angeles.

Ranked 30 in the world, Sania knocked out World No. 12 Martina Hingis in a second round match at the East West Bank Classic WTA event on Tuesday.

Sania-Bethanie In LA Quarters

Sania Mirza, who upset former world number one Martina Hingis on Tuesday, advanced in the doubles draw as well at the East West Bank Classic in Los Angeles on Wednesday evening.

Sania and American partner Bethanie Mattek faced a tough opening challenge, before they prevailed 6-3, 2-6, 11-9 over Slovakia's Janette Husarova and Dutchwoman Michaella Krajicek.

The Indo-American duo will face second seeds Rannae Stubbs and Kveta Peschke in the quarter-finals.

In singles, Sania will play France's Virginie Razzano in the third round.

Sania-Bethanie In LA Quarters

Sania Mirza, who upset former world number one Martina Hingis on Tuesday, advanced in the doubles draw as well at the East West Bank Classic in Los Angeles on Wednesday evening.

Sania and American partner Bethanie Mattek faced a tough opening challenge, before they prevailed 6-3, 2-6, 11-9 over Slovakia's Janette Husarova and Dutchwoman Michaella Krajicek.

The Indo-American duo will face second seeds Rannae Stubbs and Kveta Peschke in the quarter-finals.

In singles, Sania will play France's Virginie Razzano in the third round.

Sania Stuns Martina Hingis In Los Angeles

Sania Mirza continued to motor along in the US Open series with a hard-fought victory over former world number one Martina Hingis at the East West Bank Classic in Los Angeles on Tuesday night.

The Indian ace upset seven seed Hingis 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 in an hour and 38 minutes in the second round.

Sania, who had beaten four top-20 players during the hard-court series before coming into the tournament, will face the winner of the match between Israel's Shahar Peer and Virginie Razzano of France in the third round.

Maria Sharapova is the top seed for the event.

Sixth seed and Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli and Dinara Safina, seeded eighth, were also knocked out of the tournament.

Sania Advances In Los Angeles (East West Bank Classic)

Sania Mirza eased past Canadian Alesandra Wozniak to advance into the second round of the USD 600,000 East West Bank Classic WTA tournament in Los Angeles on Monday.

The 30th-ranked Sania tamed qualifier Wozniak 6-3, 6-2 at the Tier II hard court event.

However, an uphill task lies ahead of the Hyderabadi who will meet seventh seed Martina Hingis of Switzerland in the next round. The Swiss got a bye in the first round.

In the doubles, Sania and her new partner Bethanie Mattek of the USA will take on Janette Husarova of Slovakia and Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands in the first round.

Sania Climbs Up To 30th Rank

Sania Mirza has achieved her career best singles ranking, climbing from 31st to 30th in the latest WTA rankings.

Sania has had a great run this season, especially on hard courts.

In the last three WTA events that she's participated in, Sania has finished with one quarterfinal, one semi-final, and one final spot.

That certainly is a great run up to the year's last Grand Slam - the US Open that gets underway later this month. Sania began the year at 66, and has moved up significantly since then.

She lost in the semi-final of the Cincinnati Open to Ana Chakvetadze, before reaching the final of the Stanford Open, to lose once again to Chakvetadze.

Right after that came the Acura Classic in San Diego, where she managed to reach the quarterfinals, where she lost to Maria Sharapova, who went on to win the tournament.
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Sania Loses To Sharapova, Set To Break Into WTA's Top-30 list

Sania Mirza's demolition drive was halted by world number two and defending champion Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinals of the Acura Classic Women's tennis tournament here.

The unseeded Indian suffered a 6-2 6-1 loss to her more fancied Russian opponent in just 61 minutes yesterday in a repeat of their 2005 US Open pre-quarters match.

The 31-ranked Sania, unseeded this week, had upset 18th ranked Shahar Peer and world number 14 Dinara Safina en route to the last eight stage here. She had also defeated 17th ranked Patty Schnyder of Switzerland and Tatiana Golovin of France, ranked 19th, last week at Stanford.

Sania is set to gain 110 points from her exploits at the USD 1.3 million WTA Tier I event to break into world's top-30 players for the first time when WTA updates its rankings chart on Monday.

Sharapova, who advanced to the semifinals, will next face the winner of the match between Venus Williams and Anna Chakvetadze.

Sharapova began the match by winning eight of the first nine points to take a 2-0 lead. The top seed lost only five points in the next three games as she increased her lead to 5-1 before wrapping up the opener in just 29 minutes.

The second set followed a similar script with Sharapova breaking Sania at love. The Indian made matters worse for herself as she threw away the third game by committing two double faults.

The 20-year-old Hyderabadi, making her first quarterfinal appearance here, did manage to break Sharapova in the fourth game but the Russian broke back to sweep the final three games and seal the match.

"I had a good start and was able to play my game. The two keys were serve and return. Sania is a solid player so it's good to get some matches like I've won this week behind my back," Sharapova, who is playing her first tournament after her fourth-round loss in the Wimbledon, said.

Sania has already crashed out of doubles after the Indian and her Israeli partner Shahar Peer lost their second-round match on Thursday.

Sania Mirza Enter The 3rd Round In San Diego

Sania Mirza overcame first set hiccups to get the better of Eleni Daniilidou of Greece and enter the third round of the San Diego Classic on Wednesday.

The Indian ace committed several unforced errors in the first set but sparkled in the second to beat the Greek 7-6(1), 6-3.

The Hyderabadi next faces world No 14 and eighth seed Dinara Safina of Russia, who got the better of Camille Pin of France 6-1, 6-4.

Victory over Safina in the pre-quarter-finals, could pit Sania against former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova in what will be a replay of their US Open fourth round clash in 2005.

Sania was also in sublime form in the doubles. She and Israel's Shahar Peer defeated Angelika Bachmann of Germany and the Czech Republic's Hana Smorova 6-4, 6-0 to enter the second.

There was a minor upset, with Japan's Ai Sugiyama beating 15the seed Sybille Bammer of Austria 6-2, 7-6(3) in another second round match.

Sania Mirza Upsets Shahar Peer At Acura Classic

Sania Mirza pulled off an impressive 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win over 12th seed and doubles partner Shahar Peer of Israel to advance to the second round of the USD 13,40,000 WTA Acura Classic here.

Sania, who finished runner-up at last week's Bank of Western Classic in Stanford, will now take on Greek Eleni Daniilidou at the event which would be eliminated from next year's WTA calendar.

In a two-hour-three-minute contest where momentun kept swinging back and forth, both Sania and Peer pounded heavy ground strokes from the baseline to make it an exciting match for the sizeable crowd at the Stadium Court.

Sania used her strong forehand to set up winning points and kept Peer under pressure with her service returns. There were a combined 15 service breaks in the match.

After splitting the first two sets, Sania opened the final set by holding serve and breaking Peer to take a 4-1 lead.

Stanford Classic: Chakvetadze Beats Sania

Top-seeded Russian Anna Chakvetadze cruised past India's Sania Mirza 6-3, 6-2 here on Sunday to capture her second WTA Tour title in as many weeks.

Chakvetadze had earned a three-set victory against Mirza in the semi-finals en route to the title at Cincinnati last week, and Mirza was unable to improve on that result in this $600,000 hardcourt tournament.

Chakvetadze, ranked eighth in the world, claimed her sixth career title and fourth title of the season, after triumphs at Cincinnati, Hobart and 's-Hertogenbosch.

Prior to Cincinnati, she won one of her two singles matches to help Russia top the United States in the semi-finals of the Fed Cup in Vermont.

"I have to play only on hard courts in the United States," she said. "I still had some trouble in the first set with my serve. After this kind of thing I concentrated more on every point."

Mirza, playing in her first Tier II final, had upset three seeded opponents en route to the final, ousting No. 4 Patty Schnyder, No. 6 Tatiana Golovin and No. 8 Sybille Bammer.

Her wins over Golovin and Schnyder were her first over top-20 opponents in a 2007 season that has been disrupted by a knee injury that required surgery in March and sidelined her for more than two months.

"After I lost the first set she dominated," Mirza said. "She comes up with her best in the finals. I wasn't feeling it as well as I have. I was getting tentative and hoping she'd make mistakes."

"I didn't hit the ball as cleanly as I did the whole week." But Chakvetadze said she thought Mirza was stronger than she was a week earlier.

"She had a great week," Chakvetadze said. "Compared to our match in Cincinnati, even when we went three sets, here was a better match. I told myself I'm not feeling that great to run for three sets so I had to finish it fast."

Sania Mirza Stuns Bammer To Reach Stanford Final

Sania Mirza upset eighth seed Sybille Bammer 6-2 5-7 6-3 to reach the final of the Stanford Classic on Saturday.

The unseeded 20-year-old, whose only Tour title came in Hyderabad in 2005, outfought the Austrian under the hot sun in two hours and 14 minutes.

While the left-handed Bammer did a good job hooking her forehand into Sania's backhand and punishing her second serve, the Sania was the more ambitious and complete player on the day.

Sania Mirza won the match when she ripped a forehand crosscourt winner on her fourth match point.

Sania Mirza will face the winner of the semi-final between top seed Anna Chakvetadze of Russia and third seed Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia.

Sania Mirza Ousts Schnyder To Reach Stanford Semi-Finals

Unseeded Sania Mirza punched her semi-final ticket at this US Open tuneup Friday with a straight-set victory over fourth-seeded Patty Schnyder.

Mirza downed her Swiss opponent 7-6 (7/2), 6-1 for her second straight upset this week. She bounced sixth-seeded Tatiana Golovin of France in the second round. Mirza’s victory over world number 19 Golovin was her first over a top-20 player since she was sidelined by a knee injury in March. Now she is aiming to add to her one WTA Tour title, which she won at Hyderabad in 2005. Top-seeded Russian Anna Chakvetadze booked her semi-final place, rallying the defeat seventh-seeded Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Chakvetadze has now won seven consecutive hardcourt matches and is in position to capture her second singles title in as many weeks. “The first set I was really up and down,” said Chakvetadze, who won in Cincinnati last week. “I felt like if I could hold my serve I could turn it around. I started playing more aggressively. “Katarina was a little more aggressive than me in the first set. She made me run all over the court. In the second set I started serving well and returning better. “I still think my game is up and down,” she added.

Sania-Peer In Last 8

Third seeds Sania Mirza and Shahar Peer survived a scare from Tatiana Poutchek and Anastasia Rodionova to advance to the doubles quarter-finals of the $ 600,000 Bank of West Classic tournament here yesterday.

The Indo-Israeli pair came through 6-1, 0-6, 11-9 in over an hour against the unseeded Belarussian-Russian duo at the WTA Tour hard court event.
Sania and Peer will now be up against the Uzbek-German team of Akgul Amanmuradova and Angalika Bachmann.

Sania, who is aiming for a second successive doubles title after her triumph in Cincinnati with Bethanie Mattek last week, and Peer failed to convert two breakpoints in the third set which saw them being broken thrice. But, Sania and Peer got their act together in the super-tiebreaker to advance to the quarter-finals.

Sania Shocks Golovin To Enter Quarter-Final Of Stanford Classic

Sania Mirza into the quarter-finals of the Stanford Classic, scoring an upset 6-4, 6-1 victory over French sixth seed Tatiana Golovin Thursday.

The victory set up a quarter-final showdown with fourth seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, who registered a 7-5 6-2 win against Russian qualifier Yaroslava Shvedova.

Mirza tore apart Golovin, whom she had lost to in their two previous meetings, completely dictating play with her huge forehand.

The 20-year-old Indian served efficiently, ate up the Frenchwoman's second serves and won the match when she blitzed a forehand winner crosscourt.

"She said to me, 'can you hit it any harder?'" the world number 35 added with a laugh.

"She's one of my closest friends on tour and it's never easy to play a friend.

"I wanted to dictate as I have had trouble with her in the past because she retrieves so well. But I made sure I was aggressive as soon as I got on court."

Sania's doubles partner Israeli Shahar however failed to progress. The fifth seed was beaten by Belarusian qualifier Olga Govortsova 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.

Govortsova has risen quickly up the rankings, qualifying for Wimbledon and reaching the quarter-finals of Cincinnati last week with her aggressive play.

After starting the year ranked 334th in the world, the 18-year-old began the tournament at number 100 but is now assured of a place in the top 70 after reaching the last eight.

The tall baseliner needed two and half hours to overcome Peer, finally wearing down her Israeli opponent with booming shots into the corners.

"I know her and know what she does good and bad," Govortsova told reporters.

"In the last two sets, I hit more winners. I have more experience and I'm not making as many mistakes as I used to."

Govortsova said that Peer had beaten her thrice as a junior but the Israeli was less consistent this time.

"I'm not playing up to my ability," Peer said. "I'm not playing my game. When I'm running to balls I'm not getting there on time and I'm hitting too short."

Sania-Peer In Quarter-Finals At Stanford

Third seeds Sania Mirza and Shahar Peer survived a scare from Tatiana Poutchek and Anastasia Rodionova before advancing to the doubles quarter-finals of the US $600,000 Bank of West Classic tournament in Stanford.

The Indo-Israeli pair beat the unseeded Belarussian-Russian duo 6-1, 0-6, 11-9 in over an hour at the WTA Tour hard court tournament on Wednesday.

Sania and Peer will meet the Uzbek-German team of Akgul Amanmuradova and Angalika Bachmann.

Sania, who is aiming for a second successive doubles title after her triumph in Cincinatti with Bethanie Mattek last week, and Peer failed to convert two breakpoints in the third set which saw them being broken thrice.

But they got their act together in the super tie-breaker to advance to the quarters.

Sania Cruises Into Round 2 At Stanford

Sania Mirza rallied to defeat Japan's Akiko Morigami 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) here on Tuesday and reached the second round of a $600,000 WTA hardcourt tournament.

Mirza booked a date at the US Open tune-up event against French sixth seed Tatiana Golovin, who defeated Ukraine qualifier Viktoriya Kutuzova 6-2, 6-2.

Austrian eighth seed Sybille Bammer advanced with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Japan's Ai Sugiyama. Bammer booked a second-round date with American Meilen Tu.

Russian qualifier Yaroslava Shvedova rallied to eliminate Ukraine's Julia Vakulenko 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, setting up a second-round match with Swiss fourth seed Patty Schnyder.

Israeli fifth seed Shahar Peer lost five of the first six games but rallied to defeat France's Camile Pin 7-6 (7/5), 6-2. Peer plays Belarus qualifier Olga Govortsova next.

Sania's World Rank 35 In The Latest WTA List

Sania Mirza's fine run at Cincinnati propelled her three places up to 35th in the WTA's latest singles rankings issued on Monday.

The Indian star made her first semifinal appearance at Cincinnati but went down fighting against top seed Anna Chakvetadze of Russia, who moved one place up to be at seventh spot after her title win.

Besides, Chakvetadze swapping place with Serena Williams, there was no other movement in the top-10 rankings.

In the doubles rankings, Sania gained two places to climb to 36th on the WTA computer after winning the title with her American partner Bethanie Mattek at the same event on Sunday.

Sania will next play in USD 600,000 Tier II WTA event at Stanford, USA, beginning Monday.

Sania-Bethanie Win The Cincinnati Doubles

Sania Mirza and Bethanie Mattek lived up to their top billing to clinch the doubles title after a nail-biting final at the USD 175,000 Cincinnati Open tennis tournament on Sunday.

Sania and her American partner defeated Russian Alina Jidkova and Tatiana Poutchek of Belarus 7-6(4), 7-5 to romp home at the WTA Tier III event.

For Sania, it was her second Tour doubles title this year and overall fifth while Mattek won her second WTA title.

The two teams stayed close throughout the match, except for a small 3-1 second set lead for Jidkova and Poutchek, who could not stretch it further.

Sania said she was satisfied with her performance and gave the credit of the win to team effort.

"We played better matches this week, but we're still happy to win. I have to get along with somebody off the court to play with them; Bethanie and I are a good team," she said.

Mattek echoing her views also praised Sania for her forehand shots.

"We are a really good mixture. We're both solid on the baseline and Sania has a good forehand, so it opens up the court. Same with our serves," the American said.

Sania Loses In Cincinnati Semi Final

Sania Mirza down fighting against world number eight and top seed Anna Chakvetadze in the singles semifinal of the $175,000 Cincinnati Open tennis tournament.

The Indian star, seeded third, pushed her more fancied Russian opponent to the limit but lost 2-6, 7-5, 3-6 at the WTA Tier III event.

Sania, who played her fourth three-setter in as many matches, tried hard to keep herself in contention by pulling off the second set but Chakvetadze came back stronger to race out to a 4-0 lead in the decider.

Making her first semi-final appearance after quarter-final exits at each of the last two editions of the tournament, Sania confessed that she ran out of steam towards the end.

"She played a great match; she's a tricky player to play. After the second set, I was mentally drained after playing so many close points. I think my level dropped a bit and hers raised and when you are playing the Top 10 you can't afford to do that," she said.

Chakvetadze, who fought back from 4-1 down in the second set only to get pushed to a third, said Sania did not play well.

"It was really up and down on both sides. In the first set she didn't play very well, making a lot of mistakes. In the third, she was more relaxed because she was down 5-0. But overall, it was a good match."

Cincinnati Open: Sania Sails Into Semis Of Singles & Doubles

Top seeds Sania Mirza and American Bethanie Mattek hardly broke a sweat as they trounced Lilia Osterloh and Anastasia Rodionova in straight sets to breeze into the doubles semi-finals of the $175,000 Cincinnati Open.

Sania and Bethanie took little over an hour to quell the US-Russian pair 6-2, 6-3 in the quarter-final match.

The Indo-American pair will next face the winner of the match between Liga Dekmeijere-Ipek Senoglu and Akgul Amanmuradova-Varvara Lepchenko pairs.

Sania and Bethanie were in control right from the beginning as they held their serve, besides breaking the US-Russian pair twice, to clinch the opening set.

The second set followed a similar script as Sania and Bethanie continued their dominance, breaking Lilia and Anastasia thrice to seal matter in their favour.

Meanwhile, the Indian tennis sensation continued her winning streak in the singles quarter-final match too. Sania beat Olga Govortsova of Belarus 6-1, 6-1 in straight sets to book her first-ever singles semi-final berth at Cincinnati Open on Friday.

Third-seeded Mirza needed just 51 minutes to eliminate Govortsova. The Hyderabad girl will next face world number eight and top-seeded Anna Chakvetadze of Russia in the semis. Sania said the win had given her much-needed confidence ahead of the challenging semi-final.

"You want to win at any stage of the tournament, but it (the score 6-1, 6-1) does give you extra confidence. You're in the quarterfinals, so you're playing the best eight, and you get an easy win," the 20-year-old said.

Chavetadze advanced to the semi-finals after her opponent compatriot Elena Vesnina, seeded sixth, retired with a right shoulder strain. Vesnina was trailing 6-7 (3/7), 6-0, 4-1 when she conceded the match.

Chakvetadze had defeated Mirza 6-4, 6-1 in Hobart, Australia in their only career meeting earlier this year.

Sania, Bethanie In Quarter Final

Top seeds Sania Mirza and Bethanie Mettack cruised into the quarter-finals of $175,000 Cincinnati Open after a straight set win over the Colombian-Chinese pair of Catalina Castano and Meng Yuan.

The Indo-American pair overwhelmed their unseeded rivals 6-4, 6-0 in a first round match of the Tier 3 hard court tournament here yesterday. Sania and Bethanie were broken just once in the near hour-long contest.

In the next round, the duo will take on either wild cards Kirsten Flower (The USA) and Connie Hsu (China), or Lilia Osterloh (The USA) and Anastasia Rodionova (Russia). Sania, teaming up with Poland’s Marta Domachowska, finished runner-up here last year.

The 20-year-old Indian had earlier entered the second round of singles, where she will be up against Varvara Lepchenko.

Sania To Begin Hardcourt Season In Cincinnati

After reaching the second round at Wimbledon, Sania Mirza will open her North American hardcourt season campaign at the Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open in Cincinnati.

The 38-ranked Mirza will be part of a field, which includes rising Russian star Anna Chakvetadze and Swiss girl Patty Schnyder, who won the singles title in 2005.

The Tier III tournament with a prize money of USD 175,000, starts on July 16, but the qualifying matches begin two days earlier. Four spots will be determined by the qualifying tournament.

The matches in the main draw will be held at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.

Ranked eight, Chakvetadze is the highst ranked player to have committed to the tournament so far. Schnyder, ranked 16th is the other top-20 player featuring in the tournament.

Sania defeated Russian Yroslava Shvedova in the first round at the All England Club before going down to 11th seed Nadia Petrova in the next round.

Not Easy To Be Back After A Break: Sania Mirza

Sania Mirza’s early round losses in the last two Grand Slams — the French Open and Wimbledon — might be of some concern to her fans. But, the 20-year-old tennis star is not too worried.

“Especially considering that I am back in the circuit after a three-month long break from an injury which nearly threatened to decapacitate me,” Sania said in an exclusive chat a day before leaving for the hard-court season in the United States. “For any sportsperson it is not easy to be back after a forced break and keep winning, and that too when one often runs into a top 10 player,” Sania said after a long training session with hitting partner Narendranath at the SAAP tennis complex here.

“Ups and downs are an integral part of any career,” she stressed. “I remember how frustrating it was to read all those reports when people had written me off, especially after the injury. And see I am now World No. 38 despite the break and the early round losses,” Sania said.

Sania said, “I will be continuing with Gabriel Urpi right through the hard-court season. I am happy with the way he has been doing the job. He did point out some areas for improvement and we are working on them.”

“I feel I am hitting the ball better than I was before the injury. My confidence is high. It is just a question of winning a couple of big matches now,” she said. “The injury break was the most difficult phase of my life. It was terrible to be on a wheel chair when you had to be there on the court. Losing a tennis match is much smaller compared to the agony of being hospitalised,” she said.

Over the next two months, Sania will play at Cincinnatti, Stanford, San Diego, Los Angeles, Toronto Open, Forest Hills or New Haven and the U.S. Open from August 27.

“As far as doubles is concerned, we have to choose the partner according to our convenience. It should basically suit our singles schedule,” said Imran Mirza, Sania’s father.

Sania Doesn't Need To Stick To One Coach: Mahesh Bhupathi

Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza doesn't need to stick to one coach for a long time, said Mahesh Bhupathi, whose company manages her.

"I don't think she needs to stick to any coach for a long time. There is absolutely no problem in changing coaches," said Bhupathi Wednesday on the sidelines of a press conference at which he announced his Bangalore based company Globosport's tie-up with real estate major Ansal Properties.

Sania has changed coaches at will ever since she reached the third round at the 2005 Australian Open in her debut year as a professional.

From S. Narendranath to John Farrington and Tony Roche, none had a long stint with her. She now has Spaniard Gabriel Urpi, who also coached former Grand Slam winner Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario of Spain, as the travelling coach and Mustafa Ghouse as her hitting partner.

Bhupathi said Sania shaould be given more time as she had done well this year.

"She is just 20 and has a long way to go. This year so far she has done incredibly well by moving from 76th to 38th in the singles rankings," he said.

Bhupathi also said once he and his erstwhile partner Leander Paes retire, there won't be a vacuum in Indian tennis and Sania would be the apt successor, albeit in the women's event.

"I think even after we retire, Sania will still keep the Indian flag flying," he said.

Sania Moves Up Six Places To 38th

India's Sania Mirza moved up six places in the women's world rankings list to the 38th spot despite her second round exit from Wimbledon, according to a Women's Tennis Association (WTA) released on Monday.

Sania, who lost to Russian Nadia Petrova in the women's singles event, is also ranked 38th in the doubles.

Among the other Indian women, Sunitha Rao moved up a spot to 264th while Shikha Uberoi went down 39 places to languish at 326th.

In the men's section, Indian ace Leander Paes moved up one place to ninth in the doubles rankings while his Czech partner Martin Damm also moved up a spot to eighth.

Mahesh Bhupathi, however, was down one place to 21st.