Hyderabad, Mar 5 (Agency) After one of the most successful tennis careers for an Indian, Sania Mirza the cynosure of millions, received a heartwarming send-off in her hometown amidst fans, family, friends, and sporting personalities. Notably Sania hails from Hyderabad where she started her tennis journey over two decades ago. The magnanimous event saw the legend play a series of friendly matches with renowned tennis stars like Rohan Bopanna, Ivan Dodig, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Cara Black, Marion Bartoli. The exhibition matches were attended by her family, dignitaries from the State Government, prominent personalities such as Telangana Ministers KT Ramarao, Srinivas Goud, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Azharuddin,students of Sania Mirza Tennis Academy and among others. Sania Mirza’s last match was a fitting tribute to her incredible career.
It was filled with entertainment, excitement, and nostalgia as fans bid farewell to one of India’s greatest tennis players. While Sania may be retiring from professional tennis, but her legacy will continue to inspire future generations of tennis players in the country as transitions to take on the role of a coach and mentor to budding tennis stars. An emotional Sania Mirza shared, ” I have achieved more than I could have ever imagined in my career, and I am grateful for every moment on the court. I have always wanted to play and express my gratitude by playing my last match in front of my home crowd in Hyderabad, and I’m so thankful to the Government of Telangana for making this happen”, she said. Telangana IT and Industries Minister K T Rama Rao said, “In a country like India which was erstwhile known to be a male dominated sporting society, Sania Mirza led the journey and paved the path for women across sports.
She is an invincible force and inspiration to all the young girls of the country who aspire to make a career in sports and represent the nation”, he said. Telangana Sports Minister Srinivas Goud, said, “I extend my warmest wishes to Sania Mirza to set foot in the next phase of her life and congratulate her on her splendid career. Her contribution to the Indian sports has been exemplary and she has been a torchbearer in the truest sense. Sania has set a strong foundation for women in sports and will be a visual treat for the crowds of Hyderabad to see her in action in her last match. I’m happy to be part of this momentous occasion and we will ensure that the event is a fitting tribute to her accomplished career”, he added. A post match ceremony will be held at Trident, Hitec City, here at 1930 hours onwards.