Sania Mirza bids farewell to her tennis career as she plays last match in Hyderabad

Hyderabad. India’s tennis great Sania Mirza on Sunday ended her illustrious journey as a player with ‘tears of joy’ from where she started it. Sania ended her journey by playing exhibition matches at the Lal Bahadur Tennis Stadium where she signaled her arrival on the big stage nearly two decades ago with a historic WTA singles title. These exhibition matches included Rohan Bopanna, Yuvraj Singh and his best friend Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Ivan Dodig, Cara Black and Marian Bartoli.

Among those who arrived to watch the exhibition matches were Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, former Indian cricket team captain Mohammad Azharuddin, Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, Ananya Birla, Huma Qureshi, Dulquer Salmaan, their fans, family, friends, sports personalities and Sania Mirza Tennis Academy students were involved. Sania reached the stadium in a red colored car and the audience, including many eminent personalities, greeted her with applause.

Sania Mirza became emotional

Sania Mirza got emotional in her farewell speech. He said that the biggest honor for him has been to play for the country for 20 years. The 6-time Grand Slam winner played two mixed doubles exhibition matches and won both. Sania has won many memorable titles here at this venue which was decorated like a festival with banners like ‘Celebrating the Legacy of Sania Mirza’. Some fans were holding placards that read ‘Thank you for the memories’ and ‘We will miss you, Sania’. The spectators were mostly school children and they started cheering as soon as Sania stepped onto the court.

Before the match, Sania Mirza said, ‘I am very excited to play my last match in front of all of you. I always wanted to play my last match in Hyderabad in front of my home crowd and I am thankful to the Telangana government for getting it done. Former sports minister Rijiju, Telangana minister KT Rama Rao, Azharuddin and Yuvraj were among the spectators present at the stadium.

Former Sports Minister Rijiju arrived to watch the match

Former Sports Minister Rijiju said, ‘I have come to Hyderabad only for Sania Mirza’s farewell match. I am happy to see so many people here. Sania Mirza is an inspiration not only for Indian tennis but also for Indian sports. He said, ‘When I was the Sports Minister, I used to keep in touch with him. I wish him all the best for the future. Sania’s family members and friends were also present in the stadium during the match. Rama Rao and Telangana Sports Minister V Srinivasa Goud felicitated Sania after the match.

Sania Thanking everyone who supported her in her journey, she said, ‘I would like to thank everyone who came here. I could not have expected a better farewell than this. Sania became emotional after seeing the cheering of the audience. She said, ‘I did not think that I would become emotional today, but these are tears of happiness.’ He said, ‘It has been more than 20 years since I played. Many things in my life started here from this stadium. Been a long journey. I started at a time when nobody thought tennis was an option. Be it a boy or a girl, especially for a girl from Hyderabad. Only my parents had faith in me, my sister and my family.

Also read: Is Sania Mirza looking to turn to cricket? Plan told to Smriti Mandhana, see VIDEO

Sania Mirza said goodbye to tennis

Sania said, ‘There were people who said that we could not do it, we were ‘crazy’. I don’t blame him for saying this 30 years ago, no one thought we would be standing in a stadium full of people like this. Whatever I am today, my parents have made me this and my sister has made me this.’ Sania said that even though she has said goodbye to the game, she will continue to be a part of tennis and sports in India and Telangana. He also hoped that “many Sanias” would emerge from the country.

Former Indian cricket team captain Mohammad Azharuddin also praised Sania’s contribution to tennis. He said, ‘I think today we are giving a grand farewell to Sania. I think it’s a great example of what she’s done for women in tennis in India and around the world. I wish them all the best. I know people wanted to see him play more, but every career has an end. I think he has taken the right decision.

First read breaking news in Hindi News18 Hindi| Read today’s latest news, live news updates, most reliable Hindi news website News18 Hindi.

Tags: sania mirza, sports news, Tennis