Sania Mirza Retirement: Indian tennis ace to bid adieu to the game after 2022 season

New Delhi, January 19: India's tennis ace Sania Mirza on Wednesday (January 19) announced she is going to retire after 2022. Sania made the announcement after her women's doubles defeat in the ongoing Australian Open 2022, the first Grand Slam of the year.

Sania and her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok suffered an opening-round defeat against Kaja Juvan and Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia. They lost the game 6-4, 7-6.

Sania said, "There's a few reasons for it. It's not as simple as 'okay I'm not going to play'. I do feel my recovery is taking longer, I'm putting my 3-year-old son at risk by travelling so much with him, that's something I have to take into account. I think 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."

Sania, who was also ranked number one in doubles, has won six Grand Slams titles so far and revealed that she wishes to play till the end of this season but "beyond" that it is going to be difficult. The 35-year-old claimed she isn't feeling the same energy level, forcing her to take the decision.

"Also for me to find that motivation every day to come out. The energy is not the same anymore. There are more days than there used to be where I don't feel like doing that. I've always said that I will play until I enjoy that grind, the process which I'm not sure I'm enjoying as much anymore.

"Having said that, I still want to play the season because I'm enjoying it enough to play the year. I've worked very hard to come back, get fit, lose 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," Mirza added.

(With ANI inputs)