The Hindu : Sport : Not easy to be back after a break: Sania

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Thursday, Jul 12, 2007
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Not easy to be back after a break: Sania

Principal Correspondent

Ups and downs are an integral part of any career
My confidence is high

— File Photo: H. Satish

Sounding confident… Sania Mirza.

HYDERABAD: Sania Mirza’s early round losses in the last two Grand Slams — the French Open and Wimbledon — might be of some concern to her fans. But, the 20-year-old tennis star is not too worried.

“Especially considering that I am back in the circuit after a three-month long break from an injury which nearly threatened to decapacitate me,” Sania said in an exclusive chat a day before leaving for the hard-court season in the United States. “For any sportsperson it is not easy to be back after a forced break and keep winning, and that too when one often runs into a top 10 player,” Sania said after a long training session with hitting partner Narendranath at the SAAP tennis complex here.

“Ups and downs are an integral part of any career,” she stressed. “I remember how frustrating it was to read all those reports when people had written me off, especially after the injury. And see I am now World No. 38 despite the break and the early round losses,” Sania said.

Continuing with Urpi

Sania said, “I will be continuing with Gabriel Urpi right through the hard-court season. I am happy with the way he has been doing the job. He did point out some areas for improvement and we are working on them.”

“I feel I am hitting the ball better than I was before the injury. My confidence is high. It is just a question of winning a couple of big matches now,” she said. “The injury break was the most difficult phase of my life. It was terrible to be on a wheel chair when you had to be there on the court. Losing a tennis match is much smaller compared to the agony of being hospitalised,” she said.

Over the next two months, Sania will play at Cincinnatti, Stanford, San Diego, Los Angeles, Toronto Open, Forest Hills or New Haven and the U.S. Open from August 27.

“As far as doubles is concerned, we have to choose the partner according to our convenience. It should basically suit our singles schedule,” said Imran Mirza, Sania’s father.

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