Sania Mirza

Sania Mirza (born November 15, 1986, Mumbai, India resides in Hyderabad, India) is a professional tennis player from India.

Career

Coached by her father, Imran Mirza, Sania began playing tennis at age six. She turned professional in 2003. She became the first and only Indian woman to reach the 4th round of a Grand Slam tournament at the 2005 US Open. She is the highest ranked female tennis player ever from India (She achieved a rank of 34, her highest ever, by mid-September 2005). Her original goal was to enter the top 100 by the end of 2005, but she revised it to entering the top 50 after good performances at the beginning of the year. As of September 2005, she ranked 3rd among Asian women. Her year-end rank in 2004 was 206.

Related Topics:
2003 - 2005 US Open - 2005 - 2004

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"My mother took me to a coach, who initially refused to coach me because I was too small," said Mirza. "After a month, he called my parents to say he'd never seen a player that good at such a young age." From WTATour interview She is 5 ft. 7 in. tall.

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Sania won the Wimbledon Championships Girls' Doubles title in 2003, teaming up with Alisa Kleybanova of Russia.

Related Topics:
Wimbledon Championships - 2003 - Alisa Kleybanova

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She got a wild card entry to the 2005 Australian Open and created history by becoming the first Indian woman to enter the third round of a Grand Slam tournament. She lost in the 3rd round to eventual champion Serena Williams. On February 12, 2005, she became the first Indian woman to win a WTA singles title defeating Alyona Bondarenko of Ukraine in the Hyderabad Open Finals. Her Performance in US open 2005 eclipsed the expectations of the people by defeating quality opponents in Mashona Washington, Maria Elena Camerin and Marion Bartoli and, most important, proved to herself that she can play at the highest level. Mirza ranked 32 at the end of the tournament.

Related Topics:
Wild card - 2005 - Australian Open - Grand Slam tournament - Serena Williams - February 12 - Alyona Bondarenko - Ukraine - Hyderabad Open

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