Sania Mirza at the launch of her autobiography Ace Against Odds in Mumbai on Sunday. (Photo: Shripad Naik)
Tennis ace Sania Mirza will be busy slugging it out in the mixed doubles and women’s doubles at Rio Olympics to earn a medal for India, but the Hyderabadi player revealed that she will root for the national hockey team whenever she gets an opportunity from her busy schedule.
“I will definitely like to watch Indian hockey team in action. We didn’t make into Olympics last time (at Beijing). I am a huge fan of hockey and will love to see them do well,” she said.
Although world no. 1 women’s doubles player sees her partnership with Rohan Bopanna as the best bet to win a medal in the mixed doubles, she isn’t taking her partnership with lower-ranked Prarthana Thombare in the women’s doubles event lightly.
“Me and Prarthana form a good partnership. We won together a medal in the (Incheon) Asian Games. She is a young girl and has lot of prospect. She comes from Barshi, plays in the Sania Mirza Academy since last year-and-a-half. It will be a good experience for her. Hopefully, we will see a lot from her,” Sania said at an event here to promote her autobiography Ace Against Odds, with Bollywood star Salman Khan.
Sania said there could be no replacement for her partner Martina Hingis in India, but she hoped Prarthana could take the mantle from her.
“We hope she can become really good and have someone to take the mantle from me. Because I am close to 30 and have done three surgeries, my body feels like 50 and I am not playing forever. She can become good. There are also Ankita Raina and Karman Kaur Thandi, who is good, and one of these girls probably and hopefully will be that next girl after me,” she said.
The tennis star was happy that a lot of young girls like Prarthana are showing good promise in the sport. “It is good that a lot of young girls are coming forward. It was different 10 years back. Not only in tennis, in other sports as well — Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal and P.V. Sindhu are doing great. So, we are moving forward, but there is still room for improvement,” said Sania, who will be travelling to Canada on July 22 to participate in Rogers Cup.
The 29-year-old admitted she has read a few autobiographies of sportspersons.
“I read a book of Andre Agassi and also autobiography of Mike Tyson. It inspired me as against all the odds, he (Tyson) became the champion. I am eagerly looking forward to read autobiography of my hero Steffi Graf. It will be an inspirational reading,” she said.
Sania also thanked Salman Khan for his support and backed him as India’s Olympic ambassador for the Rio Olympics. “He is one of biggest stars in the country and if he can get people to watch, nothing like it. Who knows who could have been best option, it could be Virat Kohli, it could be anyone,” she said.
Salman called Sania a caring friend who he has known for 14-15 years now. “She has been there always for all the friends despite her busy schedule. She is different and has achieved things at 29 what many can’t achieve even in three lives. She is still young and still has to grow up. She will keep achieving more,” he added.
