Sania Mirza who played her last grand slam broke into tears during her farewell speech on Rod Laver Arena at the Australian Open. “If I cry – these are happy tears, not sad ones,” she said.
Even though she could not lift the trophy, however she ensured to deliver one of the most historic moments in the history of tennis. She has emerged as the most successful player in India with six Grand Slam, bagged two Australian Open titles in mixed doubles in 2009 with Mahesh Bhupathi, and then in women’s doubles with Martina Hingis in 2016.
Australian Open took to Twitter to quote Sania’s words and celebrate the magnificence of the player. “My professional career started in Melbourne… I couldn’t think of a better arena to finish my [Grand Slam] career at.” The page wrote, We love you, Sania ❤️
“For me the most special memory remains playing against Serena (Williams) here when I was 18 years old, even though I lost that match, got blown off the court,” she said post her semifinal win on Wednesday.
“Honestly, that was when belief was installed there that this is where I belong and this is where I want to be. Even though Serena won the tournament that year, for me, it made me believe that as 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 in 2005.”
“There are parents who have come and said, ‘Oh, you know that my young girl wanted to do something out of the box and we want her to be like you’,” she was found quoting by Straits Times, with all pride before the final in Melbourne.
Amidst the highs and lows in her career, the player have been extraordinary in her 36-year-old’s pathbreaking journey.