Indian tennis star Sania Mirza announces retirement

Sania Mirza on Wednesday announced her retirement plans after defeat in the first round of women’s doubles at the Australian Open 2022. Following the defeat, Mirza announced that 2022 is going to be her last season on the tour and she really wants to complete it. "I’ve decided this will be my last season. I’m taking it week by week, not sure if I can last the season, but I want too," Mirza was quoted as saying.

Kaja Juvan and Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia defeated Mirza and Kichenok 6-4, 7-6 in the opening round to march ahead in the ongoing Grand Slam. Earlier on Wednesday, Rohan Bopanna alongside Edouard Roger-Vasselin suffered an opening-round loss in the men's doubles event of the ongoing Australian Open. In her singles career, Mirza had notable wins over Svetlana Kuznetsova, Vera Zvonareva, and Marion Bartoli, as well as former world No. 1s Martina Hingis, Dinara Safina, and Victoria Azarenka. She is the highest-ranked female player ever from India, peaking at world No. 27 in mid-2007. However, a major wrist injury forced her to give up her singles career and focus on the doubles circuit. She has achieved a number of firsts for women's tennis in her native country, including surpassing $1 million in career earnings (in the end over $6.9 million), winning a singles WTA title, and winning a Grand Slam title (eventually, three each in women's doubles and in mixed doubles), as well as qualifying for (and eventually winning) the WTA Finals in 2014 alongside Cara Black, defending the title the following year partnering with Martina