Melbourne

India's ace tennis star Sania Mirza shared a heartfelt message for her fans recalling her tennis journey ahead of her last Australian Open on Friday.

The 36-year-old shared a post on her Instagram captioned 'Life Update' and mentioned that as she draws closer to the culmination of her career as an athlete, new beginnings await her.

"Life must move on and I don't think this is the end but, in fact, a beginning of many different memories to be created, dreams to be achieved and new goals to be set. My son needs me more than ever now and I can't wait to live a slightly quieter and calmer life while giving him more of my time than have been able to give so far. Like they say. Game. Set. Celebrate! Here's to new beginnings," shared Sania.

She will feature in her last Australian Open with Kazakhstan's Anna Danilina in the women's doubles event.

Sania Mirza announced this week that she will be quitting the game. She recently said in an interview that she intends to retire from professional tennis following the upcoming WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai in the month of February.

The Indian tennis sensation first competed at the Australian Open in 2005. She won the mixed doubles and women's doubles championships in 2009 and 2014, respectively.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Sania Mirza (@mirzasaniar)

The former doubles World No 1 thanked her close ones who have been part of her 20-year journey as a professional athlete.

She termed the Australian Open as the perfect stage to play her last Grand Slam.

Sania has won six Grand Slams, clinching the Mixed doubles thrice while also emerging victorious three times in the Women's doubles.

Her rise to a career-high position of 27th in the WTA Singles Rankings in the middle of 2007 still stands as the highest tennis rating an Indian has ever achieved in the singles division.

Sania Mirza, the first Indian woman to hold the top spot in doubles history, ascended to No. 1 in the WTA Doubles Rankings in April 2015. Only Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi have topped the doubles rankings on the ATP stage.

Before finally slipping in January 2017, the Indian star even managed to hold onto the top place for 21 months.