India's tennis star Mirza to retire after this season-Xinhua

India's tennis star Mirza to retire after this season

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2022-01-19 21:52:16

NEW DELHI, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- India's star player Sania Mirza Wednesday announced that 2022 will be her final season on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) tour.

Sania's announcement came after her first-round loss in the women's doubles at the Australian Open.

"I've decided this will be my last season. I'm taking it week by week, not sure if I can last the season, but I want to," Mirza said during the post-match press conference.

"There's a bunch of reasons for it. It's not as simple as 'okay I'm not going to play.' I do feel my recovery is taking longer, I do feel, considering my son is three years old, I'm putting him at risk by traveling so much with him, that's something I have to take into account."

Mirza and her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok lost 6-4, 7-6 (5) to the Slovenian team of Tamara Zidansek and Kaja Juvan in one hour and 37 minutes.

Mirza made her senior debut in 2003 and holds the record for the highest-ranked women's singles player from India (No. 27).

She quitted playing singles in 2013 after having registered notable victories against renowned players like Martina Hingis, Victoria Azarenka, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Dinara Safina, among others during her career.

A former world No. 1 in doubles, Mirza is also one of the only two women tennis players from India to win a WTA title.