Looking forward to winning some tournaments before I stop, says Sania Mirza
Jan 21, 2022
Melbourne [Australia], January 21 : Indian women's tennis superstar Sania Mirza said that she is looking forward to winning some tournaments in 2022 before quitting the sport.
The six-time Grand Slam champion on Wednesday announced her decision after her first-round loss in the women's doubles at the Australian Open 2022. Mirza hopes to play at least until the US Open in August-September.
Further talking about her retirement plan, the 35-year-old on 'Extraaa Serve' on Sony Sports Network during the ongoing Australian Open 2022, said: "Oh, I haven't really thought about that actually, but yeah I'm looking forward to this last season I'm, but I am looking forward to, you know, being at home not leaving out of a suitcase for a change and yeah just living a normal life whatever that is but I'm you know I hope that I can finish the season and my body is healthy enough to play."
"The level is not an issue. It's just about my body and the travel and stuff. So I'm still looking forward to the season. It's a long year. We're only in January. Everybody got really emotional yesterday and made me emotional as well; I didn't mean it, India, I didn't mean it. I didn't mean to make everyone so sad, but yeah, I am looking forward to actually trying to win some tournaments this year before I stop," she added.
On Thursday, the Indo-American pair of Sania Mirza and Rajeev Ram progressed to the second round of the AO mixed doubles event after beating Serbia's Aleksandra Krunic and Nikola Cacic.
The unseeded Sania Mirza - Rajeev Ram, both former Grand Slam champions, won the first-round match 6-3, 7-6(3).
After their match, Mirza's doubles partner Rajeev Ram also opened about him chasing the ATP's world number one. Ram said: "Yeah, You can expect my best effort, that's for sure. You know, obviously, we've been close the last couple of years; we've managed to win a couple of slams which has been nice but to be honest, just you know, sharing the court with someone who's been world number one before is a big inspiration."
"You know someone that I've grown up with, been friends with for a long time and has been there before. You know it just sort of teaches you a lot, just being out there with her. So hopefully, something can rub off, and maybe I can get there sooner than later."
The Indo-American pair will face the duo of Netherlands' Matwe Middelkoopa and Australian Ellen Perez who defeated the third-seeds Robert Farah-Nicole Melichar.
