Dubai: Indian star Sania Mirza bid farewell to her 20-year long tennis career. Sania retired after losing in the first round of the tournament. Sania Mirza announced earlier that she will retire from tennis after playing the Dubai Duty Free Open. In the women’s doubles, Sania and Madison Keys of America lost in straight sets to Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova and Lyudmila Samsonova. (Score 6–4, 6–0). This was the last match for the 36-year-old Sania with a surprise defeat.

Sania made her tennis debut in 2003 and won six Grand Slam titles. Sania won three women’s doubles Grand Slam titles with Swiss legend Martina Hingis. The remaining titles were in mixed doubles. Sania Mirzak, who bid farewell to Grand Slam tennis last month with the Australian Open mixed doubles final, was given a celebratory farewell by her fans in Melbourne. Sania competed with Indian player Rohan Bopanna, who was her first partner in professional tennis. But Sania chose the Dubai Duty Free Championship for her official retirement.

In 2009, at the age of 23, Sania Mirza won the Australian Open tennis mixed doubles title with Mahesh Bhupathi. Sania has won 3 mixed doubles and women’s doubles titles each in Grand Slam tennis. Sania, who was away from the court after the birth of her child in 2018, came back in 2020. The Indian presence in tennis was made by Sania Mirza’s crown achievements. Sania also became the first in the ranking in doubles.

In 2009, at the age of 23, Sania Mirza won the Australian Open tennis mixed doubles title with Mahesh Bhupathi. Sania has won 3 mixed doubles and women’s doubles titles each in Grand Slam tennis. Sania, who was away from the court after the birth of her child in 2018, came back in 2020. The Indian presence in tennis was made by Sania Mirza’s crown achievements. Sania also became the first in the ranking in doubles.

Main Achievements

Grand Slam titles

Mixed Doubles: 3 (Australian Open–2009, French Open–2012, US Open–2014)

Women’s Doubles: 3 (Wimbledon–2015, US Open–2015, Australian Open–2016)

Asian Games: 2 Gold (2006, 2014) 3 Silver (2006, 2006, 2010) 3 Bronze (2002, 2010, 2014).

Commonwealth Games: Silver (2010–singles) Bronze (2010–doubles)

Afro-Asian Games: 4 gold (2003–Hyderabad)

Key Recognitions

2005: Time magazine’s list of Asia’s 50 Heroes.

2006: WTA Rookie of the Year.2016: Among Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.

Major Awards

Arjuna Award (2004), Padma Shri (2006) and Padma Bhushan (2016).