Sania Mirza to retire following WTA tournament in February

Sania Mirza, formerly the top-ranked doubles player in the world for India, announced she would retire at the age of 36 during next month’s Dubai Tennis Championships after having to postpone her 2022 retirement due to injuries.

Mirza, who is recognized as the best female tennis player in her country, has won six Grand Slam doubles championships.

The WTA Tour’s website published an interview with Mirza on Friday. “I was planning to stop immediately after the WTA Finals because we were going to make the WTA Finals, but I tore my tendon in my elbow right before the US Open, so I had to drop out of everything,” Mirza said.

Mirza had intended to retire after the 2022 season due to a long-standing calf issue, but an elbow injury in August prevented her from competing in the US Open.

“Since I am the kind of person I am, I want to do things on my terms. I, therefore, don’t want an injury to make me leave.”

“I truly don’t have the mental capacity to push myself that far emotionally anymore.”

She made history by being the first Indian to take home a WTA singles trophy when Mirza won the Hyderabad tournament in 2005. She had broken into the top 30 and was ranked 27th in the world by 2007, a career-high.

Mirza formed a doubles combination with the legendary Swiss player Martina Hingis after suffering from a persistent, career-threatening wrist injury. The “Santina” combo claimed 14 victories, including Wimbledon and the US and Australian Opens.

Before saying goodbye to tennis in the United Arab Emirates, where she has lived for more than ten years with her husband, former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik, Mirza will compete alongside Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan at the Australian Open, which starts on January 16.