The level was once set for a fairytale finishing for Sania Mirza’s Grand Slam profession. Having entered the Australian Open as an unseeded pair along Rohan Bopanna, in what was once termed because the ‘Last Dance’, the Indian pair fought their manner thru to the general, however didn’t have their fingers at the elusive combined doubles trophy as they misplaced 6-7(2) 2-6 to Brazilian pair of Luisa Stefani and Rafael Mataos within the summit conflict at Rod Laver Arena on Friday. But greater than the loss, it was once the good-bye that left Sania teary-eyed all through her emotional farewell speech after the fit.
If all had long gone in keeping with what she had deliberate final 12 months on the Melbourne Park, Sania will have to had been sitting at house observing the general. But an damage in August had modified her plans earlier than she introduced previous this month that she would finish her profession on the WTA 1000 Dubai tournament in February, making the 2023 Australian Open her ultimate Grand Slam tournament.
And it some ways, it does appear to be essentially the most becoming venue for Sania to mention good-bye to her spectacular Grand Slam profession. It was once on the Melbourne Park that Sania had begun her main profession, in opposition to the mythical Serena Williams, in 2005. And it was once on the Rod Laver Arena, 4 years later, the place she gained her first Grand Slam trophy, along Mahesh Bhupathi.
“If I cry, these are happy tears. I don’t want to take away the moment from Matos-Stefani who has earned this. I’m still going to play a couple more tournaments but my career started in Melbourne in 2005 when I played Serena as an 18-year-old. I have had the privilege of coming back here again and again and winning tournaments here and playing some great finals here. Rod Laver Arena has been a really special life. I couldn’t think of a better arena to finish my last Grand Slam,” said Sania, who finished her career with six majors, which includes three women’s doubles and as many mixed doubles trophies.
“Like Rohan said, he was my first ever mixed doubles partner when I was 14 and we won the nationals. It wasn’t a same arena like this one. But that was 22 years ago. And I couldn’t think of a better partner, he is one of my best friends and best partner to finish my career with. Obviously we couldn’t get over the line but there is no better person for me to finish my Grand Slam career with. Thank you Rohan,” she added.
Sania will play her ultimate WTA tournament in Dubai Championships which can start from February 19 onwards.