Email
Print
ShareNew Delhi: The wrist injury that kept Sania Mirza out of action almost half the season last year has flared up once again just a couple of days before the US Open but the tennis ace is hoping that it will "hold up" during the year's last Grand Slam.
Although Sania is sure to play in singles and doubles events of the US Open, she may skip the mixed doubles event but a final call will be taken only during the event.
The pain has recurred at a time when Sania had a chance to wipe off the disappointment of not doing well in the singles competitions of the Grand Slams this year.
After getting engaged to childhood friend Sohrab Mirza, Sania began her hard-court season preparations by winning the Lexington ITF Challenger event in July.
Continuing with her good run, she reached the final of the next event in Vancouver but the wrist started troubling her again.
"Sania started feeling pain in her right wrist in the semi-final in Vancouver. This kept getting worse with each subsequent match that she played and we thought she needed to rest and get some treatment before the US Open," Sania's father and coach Imran Mirza said.
"She is much better now but not absolutely pain-free. She's confident about the way she has been playing on the hard courts and hopefully, the wrist will hold up," Imran added.
The Hyderabadi ace played in the doubles event of the prestigious Cincinnati Open along with Italian partner Fransesca Schivone followed by a couple of matches in singles event in Toronto.
However, the unrelenting pain forced her to skip the subsequent tournaments and she returned to India for treatment and rest.
Sania's best singles show in the Grand Slams this year has been reaching the second rounds of the Australian Open and Wimbledon. She couldn't even go beyond the first round in the French Open.
Although she has tasted some success in the doubles events, becoming the first ever female player of the country to win the mixed doubles title of the Australian Open along with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi.
Sania will open her US Open campaign against world number 64 Olga Govortsova of Belarus.
The one-on-one record between the world number 71 Sania and her Belarussian rival is tied 1-1.
Sania had beaten Govortsova in a qualifying event in 2007 and the Belarussian settled the score with a win in Doha next year.
If Sania clears the first hurdle, she may run into 10th seed Italian Flavia Pennetta in the second round.
