Hyderabadi ace became second Indian to claim a finale crown
Tennis Ace Sania Mirza (Photo: DC)
Bengaluru: Her tryst with history dates back to 2003 when she won the Wimbledon Championships girls’ doubles crown with Alisa Kleybanova. Cut to 2014, the Hyderabadi ace is still the flag bearer of women’s tennis in India and continues to soar. On a muggy Sunday afternoon in Singapore, 27-year-old Sania Mirza added another slice of history to her resume, becoming the first woman from the country to win a season-ending finale.
In the process Sania also became only the second Indian to claim a finale crown after Vijay Amritraj. Amritraj was the first Indian to win the title with partner Dick Stockton in 1977.
An elated Sania dedicated the win to the country. “Any tournament I play, it’s always for India. The love and support of my fans has been incredible.”“It’s a very special feeling, to be the first Indian in such a long time. This achievement especially means a lot. We got better as the tournament went along, surviving sticky matches,” she added.
Putting the win at par with her three mixed doubles Grand Slam titles, Sania said, “In a way this tournament is tougher than a Grand Slam because you are up against the eight best teams in the world. In a Grand Slam you have a chance to play yourself in and you are guaranteed of not meeting a top team until the quarters. Here you have to be ready right from the word go.”
The tournament was a perfect ending to a partnership which began with a win in Tokyo last year and culminated in the Singapore triumph.Speaking about Black, Sania said, “We are great friends. She is like an older sister to me, so this win means a lot to me given our friendship and partnership in the last year.”
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