PHOTOS

Sania Mirza announces retirement: Top achievements of India's first female tennis superstar – In Pics

Ace Indian tennis player Sania Mirza on Wednesday (January 19) announced that 2022 will be her final season on the WTA tour after her first-round loss in women's doubles at the Australian Open.

The 35-year-old Mirza and her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok, seeded 12th, lost 4-6, 6-7 to the unseeded Slovenian pair of Kaja Juvan and Tamara Zidansek in one hour and 36 minutes.

"There's a few reasons for it. It's not as simple as 'okay I'm not going to play'. I do feel my recovery is taking longer, I'm putting my three-year-old son at risk by travelling so much with him, that's something I have to take into account. I think my body is wearing down. My knee was really hurting today and I'm not saying that's the reason we lost but I do think that it is taking time to recover as I'm getting older," Sania told broadcasters after the match at Melbourne Park.

"Also for me to find that motivation everyday to come out. The energy is not the same anymore. There are more days than there used to be where I don't feel like doing that. I've always said that I will play until I enjoy that grind, the process which I'm not sure I'm enjoying as much anymore," she added.

Sania is a former world No. 1 in doubles and had a career-best ranking of 27 in singles. She is currently ranked 68th in the world.

Mirza, the first Indian woman to win a Grand Slam, has won Majors in doubles along with medals at Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. Her last Slam came at the 2016 Australian Open with Martina Hingis.

"I have a bit of a meniscus issue going on my right knee, I woke up with wrist pain a couple of days ago. At 35, I am waking up with a couple of things that I don't know where they're coming from! I want to finish the season, to at least play until the US Open, that is my goal. But I still have to take it week-to-week," Sania said.

Sania Mirza is, quite simply, India's first female tennis superstar and here we take a look at some of her notable achievements:

Zee Media Bureau|

Updated:Jan 19, 2022, 08:44 PM IST

1/5

Medals in multi-sports events

Sania has won 14 medals across all multi-sports events. The collection has an impressive six gold medals for the country. She has won seven medals across different editions of the Asian Games in both women’s and mixed doubles categories. Mirza also clinched the Women's Singles silver medal and Women’s Doubles bronze medal in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

2/5

World No.1 ranked doubles player

Sania reached World No.1 in doubles on April 13, 2015– the pinnacle of WTA Rankings.

3/5

WTA Finals Title

Sania Mirza is the only female Indian player to win a WTA title of any kind. She has won WTA Finals on two occasions. Sania Mirza and Cara Black won the WTA Finals in 2014 after a successful year. However, partnering up with Martina Hingis next year, the Indian player went on to defend her crown at the WTA Finals in 2015.

4/5

Three Grand Slam titles in Mixed Doubles

Sania Mirza won Australian Open (2009), French Open (2012) while pairing with another Indian star Mahesh Bhupati. Her third mixed doubles title at the Slams was at the 2014 US Open, partnering Brazilian player Bruno Soares.

5/5

Three Grand Slam titles in Women’s Doubles

Sania is one of the best doubles players India has ever produced. Mirza and Martina Hingis won the 2015 Wimbledon and 2015 US Open titles. The pair went on to win their third Grand Slam title with the victory at the 2016 Australian Open.