Sania Mirza recently played her last Grand Slam match as she bowed out of the Australian Open after losing in the final of the mixed doubles category with compatriot Rohan Bopanna. The 36-year-old Mirza, regarded as India's greatest women's tennis player, returned to Melbourne Park for one last hurrah and made it all the way to the decider. But she and 42-year-old Bopanna were unable to get over the line, losing 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 to Brazilian pair Luisa Stefani and Rafael Matos.
Mirza was in tears in the post-match presentation ceremony. "Rohan was my first-ever mixed-doubles partner at (aged) 14 and we won the nationals," said Mirza, a six-time Grand Slam champion, three in doubles and three in mixed. "It was a long time ago, 22 years ago, and I couldn't think of a better person -- he's one of my best friends and best partners -- to finish my career here and to play the final. There's no better place for me, or person for me, to finish my Grand Slam career."
After the match, celebrities from various spheres congratulates Sania on her glorious career. One special message came from Hindi film actor Kajol. "You have always made India and women everywhere look up to you.. and you always will. @MirzaSania," she wrote on Twitter.
To which, Sania replied: "Thank you so very much reading your msg as I am watching Kabhi khushi kabhi gham for the the 100th time."
The interaction has gone viral.
Mirza, who is married to former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, has a young son Izhaan and said it was incredible to play in front of him in a major final.
"I never thought that I would be able to play in front of my child in a Grand Slam final, so it's truly special to have my four-year-old and my parents here," she said.
Mirza, known as a feisty convention-breaker, was the first Indian to win a WTA singles title, in 2005 at her hometown Hyderabad.
She reached the fourth round of the US Open the same year and by 2007 was among the women's top 30.
But a wrist injury caused her to concentrate on doubles, forging a partnership with Swiss great Martina Hingis which produced three Grand Slam titles.
She is due to retire from all tennis after a tournament next month in Dubai, where she has lived for more than a decade and recently launched a tennis academy.
With AFP inputs