[SPORTS] INDIAN TENNIS LEGEND SANIA MIRZA RETIRES

[TreY]

The long-due ode to Sania Mirza’s ferocious forehand 

India rarely discussed Sania Mirza’s tennis. It’s a sad commentary on a nation that aspires to be sporty but doesn’t invest much time to understand the nuance of sports. It’s also a comment on a country that does celebrate the triumph of its women athletes but ignores their skill-set. Had India tried to understand Sania’s tennis, they would have understood her better, also gauged her impact on Indian sports.

It’s not that Sania went unsung but her core competence went under-appreciated. That ferocious forehand of hers – she once hit a 102 mph return of serve at Australian Open – didn’t get the Indian sports fans heady like when a young pace tearaway delivers a 150-kph ball.

In a land that believes in hyping every small cricketing blip, Sania’s forehand, once seen as the most fearsome on the WTA circuit, didn’t get the praise and popularity it deserved. If not the Tendulkar straight drive, it certainly deserved the iconic status bestowed on Sehwag’s brutal cut shot.

It’s because Sania transcended beyond the tennis courts way too quickly. Very early in her career, India, in its excitement of unearthing a rare women’s tennis talent, hoisted her as a gender-warrior and a progressive Muslim girl from Hyderabad. Later in life, she would be the symbol of India-Pakistan bonhomie and a Super Mom. Her detractors, too, haven’t bothered to watch her strokes and dissect her game. They have been busy commenting on her attire, trolling her mercilessly and floating fake news about her.

Cricketers often complain about personal attacks and encroachment of their private space, Sania could tell them a thing or two about being the target of stalkers, gossip-mongers and degenerates. Being in the spotlight can get irritating, especially when you are a perennial newsmaker but the conversations around you aren’t about the sport you play.

 

“My professional career started in Melbourne… I couldn’t think of a better arena to finish my [Grand Slam] career at.”

SOURCE: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/tennis/the-long-due-ode-to-sania-mirzas-ferocious-forehand-8408862/