adminBEIJING. — When Sania Mirza last counted she had 348 pairs of shoes, stashed away in seven king-sized cupboards in her home in Hyderabad.
At the fag end of 2013, a season in which the 26-year-old has won four WTA doubles titles with three different tennis partners — American Bethanie Mattek-Sands, China’s Zheng Jie and Zimbabwe’s comeback mom Cara Black — she must be happy that the partner’s section of her resume is rather more conservative.
“I’m partial to stilettos,” Sania said of her shoe collection a little after her first round doubles victory at the China Open where she’s partnering 34-year-old Black. Stilettoes and long, flowing dresses are my new favourites. I like my dresses in lively shades these days, a teal or bright mix of orange and red.”
The colours are beginning to reflect on the striking Hyderabadi’s play. On court, Cara and Sania, winners of the Pan Pacific Open title in Tokyo, Japan, last week in their maiden tournament as a pair, were a lively mix.
“We are opposites,” Sania, sporting track pants with dragon fruit prints, said, “I have big power from the back of the court and Cara has great hands, she has by far the best hands on the women’s tour. We are tough to get past as a team.”
Between all that talk of fashion and forehands, Sania said it was easier competing alongside someone who plays full-time doubles rather than a singles player, who also plays doubles. Despite the Indo-Zimbabwean duo being tipped as the next great pair in women’s doubles, the Indian, who started the year alongside the colourful American Mattek-Sands, who she was forced to part ways with because of injury, refused to confirm if she would be playing with Cara next season.
“The picture will be a lot clearer once we are done here in Beijing. This is my last tournament of the year,” Sania said.
It has been a tough year for Sania as far as partners go. She was forced to make last-minute changes due to injury issues with her partners.
“In life there’s stuff you can control and stuff you can’t. There’s nothing you can do about it. No point getting angry and upset because it’s beyond your control. As a professional athlete, you learn to roll with the punches,” she said.
At 34, Cara, winner of 54 career doubles titles, is the balancing factor in the partnership that is driven by a mix of power and placement.
“When I got married I thought I would have kids early, but the more I’m playing, the more I’m enjoying it. I really enjoy competing,” Sania said. — The Times of India.
Online Reporter