Sania Mirza says Tokyo Olympics medal dream motivated her return to court docket

India’s Sania Mirza stated the elusive dream of successful a medal at her fourth Olympics in Tokyo this 12 months motivated her to return to the WTA circuit after a year-long hole.
Mirza, paired with Slovenian Andreja Klepac, reached the semi-finals within the ladies’s doubles on the Qatar Open on Wednesday, her first event since Feb. 2020 when she performed on the similar Doha occasion.
The 34-year-old, who recovered from COVID-19 in January, stated she needed to avenge the defeat she suffered within the Olympic bronze medal play-off match in 2016 when she misplaced 6-1 7-5 in combined doubles with accomplice Rohan Bopanna.
“The Tokyo Olympics was definitely one of the reasons (for my comeback),” six-time Grand Slam doubles champion Mirza stated.
“We got here actually, actually near successful that medal final time (when) we misplaced the bronze medal match.
“I really feel once I form of shut this chapter of my life… an Olympic medal is one thing that I might have cherished to win. So I need to give myself one other shot at it.
“Whether I can be or will I be able to? Time will tell, but that is something important to me and it was one of the motivations for me to come back.”
Mirza, who turned a mom in Oct. 2018, additionally stated she is motivated to encourage ladies to chase their desires.
“Women sort of think that once they have a baby, life is over, but it’s not,” she stated.
“You don’t have to crush your dreams because you have a child. You can still go after them.”