Top 5 Goals for Sania Mirza in 2015
Sania Mirza with Cara Black with the Martina Navratilova doubles trophy in SingaporeSania Mirza has enjoyed her most successful season on the tennis circuit in 2014. The Indian ace, who turns 28 years old in November, won another mixed doubles Grand Slam (this time at the US Open with Bruno Soares), won the season-ending WTA Tour Finals in Singapore – the biggest title in tennis after the four Grand Slams - with Cara Black, peaked at No. 5 in the world rankings and won an Asian games gold medal in mixed doubles and a bronze medal in women’s doubles (India’s first medal in women’s doubles at the Asian Games).A decade into her tennis career, Mirza is climbing new heights every season and even after her incredible 2014 season, there is plenty for her to achieve in 2015. Here are the top 5 goals for Sania Mirza in the coming year.
#5 Bring the WTA Tour back to India
For the rise of players in a sport like tennis in a country like India, it is essential to have international-level facilities, coaches and tournaments in your own backyard. With the opening of her academy in Hyderabad, Sania Mirza has kickstarted her contribution to the sport in the country but it might take a few years before someone from the academy is able to break through on the circuit like she did a decade ago.
Perhaps, Mirza could use her good offices with the women's tennis tour, the Indian tennis administrators and her own sponsors to bring a WTA event back to the country.
India has held 2 WTA events in the past – the Hyderbad event starting in 2003 to 2005 which later moved to Bangalore from 2006 to 2008 before folding. Kolkata played host to the Sunfeast Open from 2005 to 2007.
With the IPTL and CTL kicking off this year, the profile of tennis is bound to go up in the coming months and having India back on the WTA calendar will surely bode well for the future of Indian women’s tennis.