'A trailblazer on and off court': Twitter salutes Sania Mirza as tennis ace says goodbye to Grand Slams

Sania Mirza’s Grand Slam career will end with six titles as she lost in the Australian Open 2023 mixed doubles final with compatriot Rohan Bopanna on Friday. Unseeded Sania and Bopanna lost 6-7(2) 2-6 to Brazilians Luisa Stefani and Rafael Mataos in the final at Rod Laver Arena. Interestingly, Sania had started her Grand Slam career also at the Australian Open in 2005. Sania Mirza’s first Grand Slam title came at the 2009 Australian Open when she won the mixed doubles trophy with Mahesh Bhupathi. Sania finishes her Grand Slam career with three women’s doubles and as many mixed doubles trophies in her cabinet. She will be retiring from professional tennis at Dubai Tennis Championships WTA 1000 event, which begins 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.” The Indian tennis ace, 36, is also the first woman from India to reach the top ranking in doubles. A trailblazer, she was the first woman tennis player from India to win a WTA title, breaking into the top 100 rankings in singles, and making it to the third round (or better) at a Grand Slam. There was an outpouring of emotions, salutations and congratulatory messages on Twitter as Sania ended her glittering Grand Slam career.

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