Sania Mirza shares heartfelt post ahead of ‘last Australian Open’ of her career: ‘Have tears in my eyes as I type this’

India tennis star Sania Mirza shared a heartfelt message as she confirmed her retirement after the Dubai Open, scheduled to be played in February. The 36-year-old Indian legend will make her last Grand Slam appearance at the Australian Open, and will bid adieu to the sport after the Dubai tournament. Sania had initially intended to hang up her racquet at the end of last season, but an elbow injury had ruled her out of the US Open and forced her to stop playing in 2022 as early as August.

In her statement that she posted on her official Twitter account, Sania recalled her early days in tennis and her memories of playing in Grand Slam tournaments.

Also read: PCB mulls replacing Babar Azam as Test captain as Shan Masood emerges top contender: Report

“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!” Sania wrote.

“With a lot of hope despite all the odds stacked against us, we dared to dream of playing in a Grand Slam some day and of representing our country with honour at the highest level in sport. As I look back at my career now, not only did I get to play well over half a century of Grand Slam tournaments but I was fortunate enough to win a bunch of them, too, with God’s grace. To win medals for my country has been my biggest honour and I feel truly humbled to have been able to stand up on the podium. knowing that the tri color had been raised high to be seen and respected by millions all over the world all because of something that I was privileged enough to achieve have tears in my eyes and goosebumps even as I type this.

“None of this would have been possible without the support of my parents and sister, my family, my coaches, my physios, my trainers, my fans, my supporters, my partners and my entire team that has stood by me through thick and thin over the years. I want to thank each one of them for the contribution, the laughs, the tears, the pain and the joy we have shared. It’s all of you, who have helped me through the toughest phases of my life and helped this little girl from Hyderabad to not only dare to dream but to achieve those dreams, as well. So thank you from the bottom of my heart.

“I feel so blessed to have lived my dream while achieving my goals with my family by my side. It’s been 20 years of being a professional athlete and 30 years of being a tennis player. It’s basically all I’ve known throughout my life,” she wrote.

Further in her statement, she wrote that Australian Open would be the “perfect” Grand Slam tournament to end her career, as it was where she had begun her career in 2005.

“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,” wrote Sania.

“As I get ready to play my last Australian Open 18 years after I played my first, and then the Dubai Open in Feb, I have so many emotions flashing through me with pride and gratitude, perhaps, being the foremost. I take pride in everything I 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.

“Life must move on and I don’t think this is the end but, in fact, a beginning of many different memories to be created, dreams to be achieved and new goals to be set. My son needs me more than ever now and I can’t wait to live a slightly quieter and calmer life while giving him more of my time than I have been able to give so far. Like they say. Game Set Celebrate. Here’s to new beginnings. Love.”