Tennis ace Sania Mirza announces retirement

Melbourne: India's first female tennis superstar Sania Mirza on Wednesday announced that she will retire after the 2022 season.

Mirza broke the news of her retirement after her exit from Australian Open women's doubles in the first round.

"I've decided that this will be my last season. I'm taking it week by week. Not sure if I can last the season, but I want to. There's a bunch reasons for it. It's not as simple as 'okay I'm not going to play'," ESPN quoted Sania saying.

"I do feel my recovery is taking longer, I do feel, considering my son is three years old, I'm putting him at risk by traveling so much with him, that's something I have to take into account.

"My body is wearing down. My knee was really hurting today and I'm not saying that's the reason we lost but I do think that it is taking time to recover as I'm getting older. I've always said that I will play until I enjoy that grind, the process and not just winning but you have to enjoy the process and I am not sure I'm enjoying it anymore. I've worked very hard to come back, get fit, lose the weight and try to set a good example for mothers, new mothers to follow their dreams as much as they can. Beyond this season, I don't feel my body doing it."

"I was pretty sure this is my last season, if I do finish it. I am sure I am not coming to Melbourne to play Australian Open again. Every time I play, I feel I have a chance to win, that's why I am here. It is not because of disappointment of today's match. Just the way my body is. I am not sure if I can finish the season. I want to play full season, I am still (ranked) 50-60 in world, I do feel I have the level to play. At 35, I am waking up with couple of things that I don't know where they're coming from. I want to finish the season, try to play until US Open, that is my goal. But I still have to take it week-to-week," she said.

The former World no 1 in doubles discipline had started playing professional tennis way back in 2003 and has won six Grand Slam titles- three women's doubles and three mixed doubles.

The maiden triumph for Sania came in 2009, when she partnered with Mahesh Bhupathi to clinch the Australian Open mixed doubles title.

In 2012, the duo won the Roland Garros French Open and US Open in 2014.

In 2015 Sania Mirza paired up with Swiss legend Martina Hingis, with whom she won three Grand Slam doubles titles in a row.

The duo clinched Wimbledon title in 2015, they picked up the US Open 2015 title and went on to win Australian Open in 2016.

The ace Indian player who paired up with Ukraine's Nadia Kechinok suffered 4-6, 6-7 (5) first round defeat on Wednesday.

But she is still alive in the Grand Slam tournament, as she will compete in the mixed doubles event with American partner Rajeev Ram. (UNI)