The Tennis Star says she never thought that she would be able to play in front of her child in a Grand Slam final, so it’s truly special to have her four-year-old and her parents here.
MELBOURNE: Indian trailblazer Sania Mirza became become top trend on Twitter as she burst into tears while addressing a speech during the award ceremony of mixed doubles final on day twelve of the Australian Open Tennis Tournament on Friday.
“My professional career started in Melbourne… I couldn’t think of a better arena to finish my [Grand Slam] career at,” said Sania and she burst into tears while describing her career journey.
She said, “Rohan was my first-ever mixed-doubles partner at (aged) 14 and we won the nationals,”. She a six-time Grand Slam champion, three in doubles and three in mixed.
Sania said, “It was a long time ago, 22 years ago, and I couldn’t think of a better person — he’s one of my best friends and best partners — to finish my career here and to play the final.
“There’s no better place for me, or person for me, to finish my Grand Slam career.”
“I never thought that I would be able to play in front of my child in a Grand Slam final, so it’s truly special to have my four-year-old and my parents here,” she said.
Mirza, known as a feisty convention-breaker, was the first Indian to win a WTA singles title, in 2005 at her hometown Hyderabad.
She reached the fourth round of the US Open the same year and by 2007 was among the women’s top 30.
But a wrist injury caused her to concentrate on doubles, forging a partnership with Swiss great Martina Hingis which produced three Grand Slam titles.
She is due to retire from all tennis after a tournament next month in Dubai, where she has lived for more than a decade and recently launched a tennis academy.
Mirza, who is married to former Pakistan team captain Shoaib Malik, has a young son Izhaan.
