Picture : Twitter/ Australian Open
Trailblazing Indian tennis star Sania Mirza capped off her glorious Grand Slam career with a runners-up finish alongside ‘best friend’ Rohan Bopanna in the Australian Open mixed doubles final here on Friday.
Pairing up with her first-ever mixed doubles partner Bopanna, the unseeded Indian duo went down 6-7(2) 2-6 to the Brazilian pair of Luisa Stefani and Rafael Mataos in the final at the Rod Laver Arena.
“If I cry, these are happy tears. That’s just a disclaimer. I’m still going to play a couple of more tournaments but my journey of my professional career started in Melbourne,” an emotional Sania said as she struggled to hold back tears.
“My professional career started in Melbourne… I couldn’t think of a better arena to finish my [Grand Slam] career at.”
We love you, Sania ❤️@MirzaSania • #AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/E0dNogh1d0
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2023
Coming into her final Major tournament, Sania had three women’s doubles and as many mixed doubles trophies in her cabinet. The 42-year-old Bopanna has one French Open mixed doubles title to his credit.
This was Sania’s last appearance at a Grand Slam before she retires from tennis after next month’s Dubai Tennis Championships.
