Sania soaring high on confidence after Doha success

A day after Sania Mirza clinched the mixed doubles gold at the Doha Asian Games, India's youngest sporting icon Sania Mirza returned to her native Hyderabad on Thursday (December 14). Mirza missed the gold in the Women Singles as Chinese Zheng Jie overcame the 20-year-old Indian 6-4 1-6 6-1 in a clash lasting almost two hours.

Mirza, who enjoyed a breakthrough 2005 when she became the first Indian to claim a WTA title and reach the top-50 in the women's rankings, has had a relatively disappointing season. But one gold and two silvers at the Asian Games have put her back on the winning league.

"Obviously I've had a tough year, It's been a very average year but at the time when I had to peak, I did. I think I am playing the best tennis I ever did and I think my fitness levels have gone up quite a few notches and that has helped my performance a lot and I think I worked hard in the last one, one-and-a-half month and I'm happy that it's paying off now," Mirza told reporters after arriving at her native Hyderabad.

The gold at the Mixed Doubles event was sweet revenge for Mirza and her partner Leander Paes, who won a bronze in the 2002 Asiad in South Korea.

Though Mirza said all players aimed at the gold medal, she was happy by playing good tennis.

"Ya, little bit, you are disappointed (at losing out on the gold medal), but having said that, I played some great tennis and I think Zheng (Zheng Jie of China) just deserved to win on that particular day. I didn't play with my best tennis but I think I gave all I had and I think that's more important. I gave my 100 percent but you know, silver is not so bad either," Mirza said.

Sania ranks 67th in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) ratings.

Source: Zeenews