India’s tennis superstar Sania Mirza announced that this Australian Open will be her last tournament in her professional career.
On Friday, 13 January, 2022, Sania took to her Instagram handle and announced her retirement. She penned her feelings in a long picture note.
The tennis superstar revealed that thirty years ago, when she was six-year-old, she had fought with her school coach to teach her tennis. She expressed how fortunate she is to play for her country and win medals for it.
The 36-year-old wrote, “Thirty (yes, 30!) years ago a 6 year old girl from Nasr School in Hyderabad, walked on to a tennis court at Nizam Club with her young mom and fought the coach to let her learn how to play tennis as he thought that she was too little :). The fight for our dreams began at 6!”
The iconic player also expressed her gratitude to her parents, sister, coaches and fans for always supporting her. Sania added that it had been twenty years since she had been playing professionally.
Sania said that in 2005, she played her first grand slam at Australian Open and will play her last at Australian Open this year.
She added, “My Grand Slam journey started with the Australian Open back in 2005. So, it goes without saying that this would be the most perfect Grand Slam to end my career with.”
“As I get ready to play my last Australian Open 18 years after I played my first, and then the Dubai Open in Feb, have so many emotions flashing through me with pride and gratitude, perhaps, being the foremost. I take pride in everything have been able to achieve over the last 20 years of my professional career and I am so grateful for the memories that I have been able to create. The greatest memory that I will carry with me for a life time is that of the pride and happiness that I saw on the faces of my fellow countrymen and supporters each time I achieved victory and reached milestones in my long career.”
Sania also revealed the reason behind her retirement. She shares that her son, Izhaan, is growing up, and he needs her the most at this point in his life.
Sania also expressed her desire to live a ‘slightly quieter and ‘calmer life’. She captioned the post: “Life update.”
Last year in January, the tennis superstar had expressed her desire to resign.
Sania Mirza achieved an impressive feat by winning six Grand Slam titles in both women’s and mixed doubles.
