During a press conference at the Australian Open, Sania Mirza talked about how her peers were surprised that she was set to retire. Mirza, now 36, is not on a decline in terms of her performances. And she proved it by reaching the final of the mixed doubles event in Melbourne in what was to be her final appearance at a Grand Slam.
She’s competing at a high level and matching the physical, mental and technical requirements to feature at that stage. But there’s no convincing the six-time Major winner to change her decision. For, the harsh effects of the grind – which she has been a part of for a career that has lasted 22 years – have started to take their toll.
“I’ve been really struggling with my body. Not many know, I’ve been playing with a torn meniscus for over a year now,” she said in an interview. “I had gotten a steroid injection just before the clay season, but now that is wearing off slowly.
My knee is hurting quite a lot and I’m actually on painkillers for the last couple of months, with playing the amount I have, especially in Australia.”
There are no second thoughts about finally hanging up the racquet once she’s done playing the Dubai Open next week. It’s a ‘last tournament’ that is coming much later than what she had initially planned.
