New Delhi, Aug 14: She is only 16-years old but already her shoulders are feeling the weight of expectations. The junior grand slam doubles title at Wimbledon has made Sania Mirza the new toast of Indian tennis. And when she steps on to court at New York's flushing meadows next month, the teenager from Hyderabad will be carrying the hopes of a billion people with her.
"People have always had expectations from me whenever I've played, even as a 10 year old, and I'm used to that," Sania told as she prepared for the US Open junior championships starting September 1.
"I do realise that the expectations are going to be very high this time round as I have won a grand slam title."
"I think that I've always expected a lot more out of myself... as long as I've given it my best shot, I am at peace with myself," said Sania, showing matured thinking.
Acknowledging Sania's contribution to Indian tennis, Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde will confer on her the Rajiv Gandhi Award, instituted by the Congress party, on August 19.
Sania will kick start her campaign with Canadian Open, a grade 1 junior event in Canada, the week prior to the US Open, beginning on August 25.
She has been training for the event at her home base in Hyderabad, and also spent a few days at the Bhupathi tennis clinic in Bangalore where she worked with Mahesh Bhupathi and Prahlad Srinath on her court movements and serves.

Bureau Report