“I’m so emotional – I’m not a crier in front of people, but I’m almost there right now.”
The feelings have been at an all time excessive as Sania Mirza secured a spot within the combined doubles remaining of the 2023 Australian Open, the ultimate grand slam of her enjoying profession that spanned over twenty years.
The 36-year-old partnered alongside Rohan Bopanna to finest Desirae Krawczyk and Neal Skupski 7-6(5) 6-7(5) [10-6] and attain the ultimate.
“We were playing one of the best mixed doubles teams on tour and we knew we had to come up with the best – I’m glad we were able to do that,” Mirza stated post-match.
The legendary pair of Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna are only one win away from the Australian Open combined doubles title 🏆 pic.twitter.com/iRwTATr3lQ
— Indian Tennis Daily (ITD) (@IndTennisDaily) January 25, 2023
She additional added, “It was an amazing match, obviously there’s a lot of nerves playing my last Slam and it’s so special to play with Rohan,” added Mirza, who plans to retire later this yr. Rohan was my first-ever combined doubles accomplice after I was 14 years outdated … we’re so excited to come back again right here and provides ourselves one other likelihood.”
On enjoying in Melbourne the India worldwide added, “I feel the love here, for the 18 years that I’ve been coming here it feels like home for me because honestly I’ve got family here, I eat at home, I get so much home food and I have all these Indians coming out and supporting me. It’s been quite a journey, and I’m really going to miss coming back here.”
Melbourne Park was the place she mixed alongside Mahesh Bhupati to win her first combined doubles grand slam title in 2009. She would later bag French Open and US Open titles in 2012 and 2014.
“The most special memory remains playing against Serena here when I was 18 years old, even though I lost that match, got blown off the court,” Mirza stated whereas recollecting her favorite Australian Open second.
“My belief was installed there, that this is where I belong and this is where I want to be. Even though Serena won that tournament that year, for me it made me believe that a young Indian girl, the dream that I had to play in the slams, try and win them, was something that happened that year for me That memory … I’m getting goosebumps when I talk about it.”
Mirza and Bopanna will face Luisa Stefani and Rafael Matos within the combined doubles remaining on Friday on the Rod Laver Arena.
