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"The success of an Indian teenage tennis star is set to have a major positive effect on sport in a country
which won just one medal at the last Olympics - despite being home to a billion people."
~ BBC Sport~
Sania Mirza , 19, (born Nov 15, 1986) tennis sensation from Hyderabad, has had a meteoric rise to # 32 in
world rankings, even ranked above the seemingly invincible Serena Williams who trails her at #37. It was the recently held U.S. Open that first
caused a stir as she became the first Indian woman to reach the fourth round of the prestigious competition. To quote a commentator, it is
Sania's "phenomenal achievement" that has made her a role model for all young tennis players in the country.
Her Profile:
Date of birth: Nov 15, 1986
Place of birth: Mumbai, India
Lives in: Hyderabad, India
Height: 5' 7 1/2"
Weight: 59kg
Plays: Right handed
Strength: Double-handed backhand
Plays best on: Hard courts
Coach: C.G.K. Bhupathi
Other interests: Swimming, Music
Her idol: Steffi Graf
Ambition: To be ranked within the Top Twenty in the world
Sania began to play tennis when she was just six years of age. Her father, Imran Mirza was her first coach. It was in the year 2003 that she
turned professional. She became the first and only Indian woman to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam Tournament at the U.S. Open in 2005.
She holds the #1 rank in India. She has shown what dedication and hard work can make a person achieve in her career.
Showing the world that she was made of tough stuff, she refused to cow down to some hardcore Muslim clerics who denounced her dresses on
court. Unfazed, she firmly announced that her dress had nothing to do with her religion and that she was a devout Muslim who prayed religiously
5 times during the day. She earned more admiration and a bigger fan following after this.
She was awarded the Arjuna award for sports in 2005 after her sensational performance at the U.S. Open. In her career so far, she has
defeated two
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