Sania Mirza: Rio The Final Frontier For Tennis Ace

Indian tennis star Sania Mirza has been a household name in India in recent years. Since bursting into the scene more than a decade back, the tennis star has managed to scale height that no woman in the sport from India had previously reached.

Having been involved in two previous Olympic Games, Sania will be aiming to improve on her previous performances at the quadrennial event.

She will be partnering Prarthana Thombare in the women's doubles category, and will team up with Rohan Bopanna in mixed doubles for the Games.

Sania Mirza has previously participated at the 2008 and the 2012 Olympic Games, and had reached the quarters of the mixed-doubles category in 2012 alongside Leander Paes, her furthest participation at the Games. In women's doubles, her best showing has been a second round appearance.

While improving her record at the Games will be among the top of her priorities, with mixed doubles representing a good chance of winning a medal, Sania will also be looking to quieten some of the naysayers back home.

The Hyderabad-born star has often been targeted by far-right groups in India for her marriage with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, and a medal in Rio will surely go a long way in silencing these extremist voices.

Having won majors in both doubles and mixed doubles, an Olympic medal will be a crowning glory on what has been a successful career in tennis for Sania Mirza.