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Australian Open 2022: Sania Mirza-Rajeev Ram ends campaign after quarterfinal defeat

Sania Mirza ended her Australian Open 2022 journey after the Indian ace and her mixed doubles partner Rajeev Ram lost to Australia’s wild card pair of Jamiee Fourlis and Jason Kubler.

Sania Mirza

Melbourne, January 25: Sania Mirza ended her Australian Open 2022 journey after the Indian ace and her mixed doubles partner Rajeev Ram lost to Australia’s wild card pair of Jamiee Fourlis and Jason Kubler on Tuesday (January 25).

Sania, who had won the Australian Open Grand Slam twice in doubles events, and Rajeev lost 4-6, 6-7 (5) in the quarterfinals of the mixed doubles.

Sania had said that this will be her last season in tennis circuit as a professional player.

Winner of six Grand Slam titles, including three mixed doubles trophies, Sania will retire as India's most accomplished woman tennis player.

The 35-year-old made the retirement announcement after losing the Australian Open women's doubles first round with partner Nadiia Kichenok. They lost to Slovenia's Tamara Zidansek and Kaja Juvan.

"There's a bunch of reasons for it. I do feel my recovery is taking longer and considering my son is three years old, I do feel I am putting him at risk by travelling so much with him.

“Unfortunately the pandemic is making us take certain decision for the well-being of ourself and family," Mirza said at the post-match press conference.

"Also, my body is wearing down. My knee was really hurting today and I'm not saying that's the reason we lost but I do think that it is taking time to recover as I'm getting older," she said.

Sania, who became world number one in doubles during her successful partnership with Swiss legend Martina Hingis, said there were a certain issues that influenced her decision.

"Also for me to find that motivation everyday to come out, the energy is not the same anymore. Right this minute, it's there but there are days where I don't feel like doing that.

"I've always said that I will play until I enjoy that grind, the process and not just winning but you have to enjoy the process and I am not sure I'm enjoying it anymore.

"I am enjoying it enough to play this season. I've worked very hard to come back, get fit, lose the weight and try to set a good example for mothers, new mothers to follow their dreams as much as they can. Beyond this season, I don't feel my body doing it. It's beat," said the world number 68.

She reached top-30 in singles with 27 being her career best rank. Sania quit singles after a wrist injury to focus on doubles and enjoyed exceptional results.

"As an athlete I feel I can go deep in tournament. But I have a bit of a meniscus issue going on my right knee, I woke up with wrist pain couple of days ago. There is nothing wrong with it.

"At 35, I am waking up with couple of things that I don't know where they're coming from. I want to finish the season, try to play until US Open, that is my goal. But I still have to take it week-to-week," she said.

Story first published: Tuesday, January 25, 2022, 11:38 [IST]
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