The Hyderabad tennis ace enjoyed the occasion all the more because she was with her tennis teammates and other members of the Indian contingent at the Asian Games.
It has been a big year in Sania Mirza’s life. It’s a period in which she took the most important step in her personal life and married Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik. Naturally, her 24th birthday celebrations were special.
The Hyderabad tennis ace enjoyed the occasion all the more because she was with her tennis teammates and other members of the Indian contingent at the Asian Games.
“It’s been a special year for me. I have found a perfect husband, I have a perfect family. My mom’s (Nasima) birthday is also today. Shoaib is here and it’s great to celebrate the occasion with my husband. It’s my first birthday with him,” Sania told DNA while cutting the cake with her family and mates before a training session in the afternoon at the Aoti Tennis Center.
There were no grand plans in the evening though. The birthday-girl said she preferred a quiet celebration with Shoaib. “I am not a party girl. I would like to have a quiet dinner with Shoaib,” said the double gold medallist of the last Games.
“It’s such a beautiful setting being with the fellow tennis players and athletes. Usually, she is at home as it’s an off-season in tennis,” said Sania’s mother. Looking back at the year, Sania said: “As you grow older, you learn more and get wiser. There was a time this year when I didn’t know if I could play or not because of my wrist injury. It was a desperate time. I did not play for five months. It’s the worst time in an athlete’s career.
“It’s altogether a different thing when one quits the game and when one is forced to leave because of circumstances. It was very depressing but thank God everything has worked out well,” said Sania. “To win two medals at the CWG was great.”
India’s tennis hopes depend a lot on Sania, who won gold medals in doubles as well as mixed doubles event at the previous Asiad. She also won silver in the singles. However, there is some nervousness in the Indian camp as she is ailing from a throat and ear infection. “I picked up the infection while playing at Taipei recently. I am still on antibiotics and feel weak. I haven’t been able to practice for the last three-four days and that’s why I had to pull out of the team event.
“I have couple of days to go before the doubles and singles and hopefully I will be stronger by then,” she said.
As for the challenge here, Sania said: “Asian women’s tennis is booming. It’s the toughest competition. You have a lot of players in the top 50 and top 100 as there are some good Chinese and Japanese players around. I am not seeded here, so I will have to play a seeded player sooner than I would have liked, but you have to beat everyone if you have to do well.”
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}