When Sania Mirza Taught Mamata Banerjee to Play Forehand Crosscourt
Sania Mirza participated in an exhibition tennis match in Kolkata to promote Mahesh Bhupathi's International Premier Tennis League. The West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee was also present.
India's tennis queen Sania Mirza taught West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee how to play the forehand cross-court during an exhibition match in Kolkata on Wednesday.
Clad in her trademark white saree, the state's chief minister, who usually attends all celebrity events in the city, was sporting enough to step onto the court at Netaji Indoor Stadium and play a few strokes with Sania's help.
The West Bengal chief minister was one of the first to congratulate Sania when she won the Wimbledon doubles crown with Martina Hingis in July this year.(Sania Not Thinking of Olympics Right Now)
"A young Indian lady conquers the world of tennis. @MirzaSania you have once again won a billion hearts," Banerjee had tweeted.
I was very happy to be present at the event organised by Jaidip Mukerjea Tennis Academy & our Sports Department pic.twitter.com/ctSezTOhPc
- Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 25, 2015
On Wednesday, it was a face-to-face meeting at a historic venue in the City of Joy.
Kolkata witnessed four tennis legends in action on Wednesday. City boy Leander Paes teamed up with former Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova while the world's No. I doubles player Sania and Mahesh Bhupathi were on the other side of the net.
The celebrity event was a prelude to Bhupathi's high-profile International Premier Tennis League that features Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal among other. For the record, Sania-Bhupathi beat Martina-Paes 7-5, 7-5.
'Didi' Mamata Banerjee is quite active when it comes to sports. One to hog the spotlight with her firebrand nature, she has been seen in the past celebrating Kolkata Knight Riders Indian Premier League win with lot of fanfare at the Eden Gardens.
It was an honour to hit some tennis balls with ma'am Mamata Banerjee @MamataOfficial thank you for coming today ?? pic.twitter.com/QIPCCKOFmF
- Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) November 25, 2015
More recently, Mamata played a big hand in elevating former India skipper Sourav Ganguly as president of the Cricket Association of Bengal from the rank of a rookie joint-secretary.
Kolkata you were a beauty ?? Thanks for having us.. Next stop Hyderabad ???? @Martina @Leander @Maheshbhupathi pic.twitter.com/7eCQGHgevq
- Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) November 25, 2015