India’s most successful tennis player Sania Mirza has announced that 2022 will be her last season and she will bid adieu to the game at the end of the current season (2022). She revealed the news after her first-round loss in women’s doubles at the Australian Open on Wednesday.
The Hyderabadi star player, who entered the Australian Open ring with her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok, made her way home 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,” the 35-year-old said at the post-match press conference.
“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,” she said.
“Also for me to find that motivation every day to come out. The energy is not the same anymore. There are more days than there used to be where I don’t feel like doing that. I’ve always said that I will play until I enjoy that grind, the process which I’m not sure I’m enjoying as much anymore,” the tennis star added.
Sania Mirza is a former world No. 1 in doubles and had a career-best ranking of 27 in singles. She is currently ranked 68th in the world.