Sania Mirza Academy Serves Big: Elite High-Performance Programme Launched With Portugese Coach
Sania Mirza has often been asked, where is the next Sania? And here is her answer.
The Indian tennis ace has announced a landmark collaboration with internationally renowned coach Marco Seruca to launch a High Performance Tennis Programme starting May 1. It is an initiative aimed at reshaping India's tennis pipeline with global standards. This is a structured system designed to produce elite competitors. The impact will be on technique, fitness, game awareness and mental conditioning. It promises a 360-degree approach to the sport of tennis. Sania's partner in the project, Seruca, is a former Portuguese Davis Cup player with over 35 years of coaching experience. He steps in as the Head Coach. His resume spans continents, including his stint as Technical Director at the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association and a founder of the MS Star Academy.
Seruca talks about his reason for joining hands with Sania, "India has extraordinary raw talent. What has been missing is a structured, high-performance environment to channel it," Seruca said. "The Sania Mirza Tennis Academy provides exactly the right platform to do that."
For Mirza-a six-time Grand Slam champion and former World No.1 in Doubles, this move is a natural extension of her long-term vision. Since stepping away from professional tennis, she has focused on building pathways for the next generation. Mirza says, "Bringing Marco Seruca to Hyderabad gives Indian players access to the standard of coaching they deserve."
The programme will operate six days a week, blending high-intensity on-court sessions with professional fitness regimes and competitive match play. Each player will receive individualized development plans, regular performance tracking, and guidance on tournament pathways-mirroring systems seen in top global academies.
Hyderabad, already a proven sporting hub, now adds another layer to its high-performance ecosystem. Notably, Olympic medallist Gagan Narang has built a similar pathway in shooting through his elite "Gun For Glory" academies, across 11 states and 15 academies. Mirza becomes the second Hyderabadi sporting icon to invest deeply in structured, world-class training infrastructure-signalling a broader shift from individual excellence to institutional legacy.
Before the full rollout, the Portugese will conduct a three-day Tennis Mini Camp starting April 10. It will be open to all age groups. The camp will offer on-court sessions, player assessments, and crucially, a roadmap presentation for parents.
With Indian tennis searching for its next global star, this programme could serve as a much-needed launchpad.