— FILE Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

STAR MEETS LEGEND: Vijay Amritraj is not too perturbed about Sania's inconsistent results this year.

New Delhi: Sania Mirza needs to correct some technical flaws in her game, but the Hyderabadi girl can crack the top ten in women's rankings, India's tennis legend Vijay Amritraj said on Tuesday.

"Sania needs to work on some technical aspects of her game to get even better," Amritraj suggested.

He said the 19-year-old knew where she had to get better to take the next big step.

"Sania knows it, her coaches know it and they are working on it," he said.

Amritraj was talking informally with reporters here on the sidelines of the launch of the second Delhi Half Marathon to be held here on October 15.

He said the teenager, currently ranked 44th in the world, had the potential to climb much higher on the charts.

"I firmly believe that she can enter the top 10 in women's tennis. She has the game, has time on her side and most importantly, has a strong mind," Amritraj said.

Excess pressure

He said it was important that Sania was not put under excess pressure by the Indian media and the public.

"She is doing very well for herself and the only people who can bring her down are us."

The former Davis Cup captain said the key for Sania was to become the best tennis player she could possibly be.

"Roger Federer does not think about being the best player in the world. Rather he thinks how he can be the best that he can be and how to keep improving. That is all you can ask from a player," Amritraj said. Amritraj was not too perturbed about Sania's inconsistent results this year and said it was part of the game.

"Ups and downs are part of the game. She had a wonderful year last year and it is difficult to deliver such results year after year.

Improving steadily

"One is never satisfied and wants to improve constantly. Wins and losses will come as one plays more and more," Amritraj, once ranked as high as 16th in the world, said.

He lauded Sania for dealing with the pressure of being a top player in India.

"She has dealt very well with the expectations put on her and has learnt how to behave with the media.

"There are other good players coming up like the Uberoi and the Bhambri sisters but Sania still is the top," Amritraj said.

"If a decade ago, someone had said that we would have an Indian girl in the top 50 in women's tennis, an Indian driving a Formula One car, a world champion in chess and an Indian golfer on the USPGA Tour, most of us would have laughed," he said adding, "it shows how expectations in Indian sport have risen." — PTI

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