Sania Mirza, Rohan Bopanna lose in Australian Open 2023 mixed doubles final

Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza’s last dance at a Grand Slam ended with a heartbreak defeat in the mixed doubles final at the Australian Open on Friday in Melbourne. Sania and her Indian mixed doubles partner Rohan Bopanna lost to Brazilians Rafael Matos and Luisa Stefani 7-6(2), 6-2 in the final.

It’s the first mixed doubles grand slam title for the Bzriallian duo.

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Sania, 36, had announced earlier that the 2023 Australian Open will be her last Grand Slam tournament and she plans to retire from professional tennis at Dubai Tennis Championships WTA 1000 event, which starts on 19 February.

“I’m still going to play a few more tournaments, but my journey of my professional career started in Melbourne in 2005, when I played Serena Williams in the third round as an 18-year-old,” Mirza said in on-court interview after the match. “I’ve had the privilege to come back here again and again, win some tournaments here, play some great finals … Rod Laver Arena has really been special in my life. I couldn’t think of a better arena to finish my career at Grand Slams at.”

Sania in her glittering career has won six major titles in doubles discipline, three in women’s doubles and as many as in mixed doubles. Her maiden triumph came in 2009 when she along with Mahesh Bhupathi clinched the Australian Open mixed doubles title.

A trailblazer for women tennis players in India, Sania is the first Indian woman to claim the top ranking in doubles. She also was the first Indian woman to win a WTA title, to reach the top 100 in rankings in singles and reach the third round or do better at a Grand Slam.

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