By Emb Hashmi
Asian World has interviewed the super fit Indian tennis star Sania Mirza after a thrilling win at the Aegon Classics, even though she went on to not win the doubles final her performance was geared to success and a possible future grand slam victory.
We asked Sania about her tennis academy in Hyderabad and how she balances life with her hectic tennis schedule and husbands international cricket career.
Do you think Aegon Classic have given you the momentum to reach the finals of some big tournaments coming up like Wimbledon?
No, not really. This is the first match on grass, and no tournament is easy, especially this one. I’ll just take one match at a time. I was happy to get though this one because it is difficult to make the transition from clay to grass.
Do you think you are becoming an expert in the doubles? Is the way forward for you in tennis?
I haven’t played singles now for about two years, which was a conscious decision after having surgery – my body just wasn’t working with me, but in hindsight i think it was the right decision to make. I am at the height of my career at the moment – i won five tournaments last year so I seem to be going very well.
Do you have any particular partners or favourites that you like working with?
Well, I am playing with Cara who I have played with for a while, but its different with each person you play with the chemistry is individual.
In 2011, you got to the tennis finals at Wimbledon, do you think that it can be achieved again/ is it one of your goals?
Definitely. One of our current goals is to win a slam in the future. It is one of the only thing that i feel I should have done by now but haven’t achieved – I’ve come close a few times and have won it in the mixes but I would love to win it in the women’s doubles
Since your marriage to Shoaib Malik, do you feel like you have more of a Pakistani fan base now?
Possibly. When we got married, our countries were the last thing on our mind, sure it is a sensitive issue but anytime I go to Pakistan I’m greeted with warmness –our countries are different but very similar at the same time
There are very few South Asians that play tennis at your level. Why do you think that is?
The culture is a little bit different there still and I don’t think tennis is a sport that is taken as a profession. I think there has been a slight transition in the Sub Continent towards women as professional athletes and from just focussing on cricket. The facilities to train are also very limited. It has improved but it still needs work.
What would you say to young women from South Asian backgrounds considering tennis as a career?
You have to love what you do, and enjoy doing it. Women of our culture tend to stick to more traditional routes. It is down to personal preference whether you want to be a housewife or a professional sportswoman – as long as you do what you want to do. I have also started an academy for tennis. This is my way of giving back to my community and to my sport.
How do you balance your busy tennis schedule with husband Shoaib’s hectic international cricket career?
It’s not easy but we try to schedule our diaries so we can spend as much time together as possible, we are both busy people. We like it when we come to England as we are in the same country at the same time.
