Sania Mirza
Tennis superstar Sania Mirza is
geared up to represent the country in next month's Olympics but she
refused to predict winning a medal in the Rio Games.
Sania will pair up with young Prarthana Thombare in women's doubles
and with Rohan Bopanna in mixed doubles in the Games, and she says she
will prepare for the Olympics the same way she does for every big
tournament.
"You try and play every tournament, play every match at merit, give
your best and hopefully come back with a medal. If you don't (win a medal)
then you try again. You cannot sit and predict what is going to
happen," she said when asked about chances of clinching a medal in Rio.
Sania's autobiography Ace against odds was launched by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, in Mumbai, on Sunday.
Asked about her chemistry with Bopanna, Sania said, "It's been very
good. Rohan have known each other for a very long time, we have played a
lot together. So we and I are looking forward to playing together in
Olympics."
The women's doubles world number one player said one has to inspire
himself or herself to achieve success in the Olympics but the biggest
inspiration was to play for the country.
"You have to be your own inspiration, you have to be there because you want to be there (in the Olympics). The biggest inspiration is for playing for your country and there cannot be bigger inspiration than that," she said.
Sania, however, said that she was not preparing differently for the Olympics.
"As tennis players, we can't really prepare (ourselves) for
one thing. I am playing in Canada a week before the Olympics. This will
be my third Olympics, we prepare for it the same way we prepare for
every big tournament that we play, be it Wimbledon or US Open. So, we
are looking forward to it," said the 29-year-old.
Bollywood actor Salman Khan and Sania Mirza (right) hold the latter's autobiography.
Asked if she has any concern
about Zika virus in the backdrop of some tennis players pulling out of
the Olympics, Sania said, "I am going to Rio for the Olympics. I am sure
we will try and take whatever precautions we can. But there is no
injection or something you can take.
"I have already taken the yellow fever injection which was supposed to take. We we will see whatever we can do but I am going (for the Olympics)."
Recently Prarthana had said that she was not scared of facing big names in Rio with the World No 1 Sania at her side.
Asked about Prarthana's comments, Sania said, "That's really good. I
think younger girls, younger kids today so to say are so much more
confident. It's amazing if that's how she feels and that she is going to
play at the big stage and she is not frightened at all, that's going to
be amazing.
"But I am sure there will be some nerves, I hope there will be,
because nerves are always good to have. She has been around me for a
long time and hopefully that experience should help her."
Asked how will she react if she faces her doubles partner Martina
Hingis on the opposite side, Sania said, "I have already faced her twice
this year -- in Australian Open and French Open. We have played against
each other, so there is no reaction.
"It is very tough for us to play against each other because we are
such good friends and we know each other in and out. But at the end of
the day we are professionals. So, we have to go out and give our best
and whoever is better on that day wins. But hopefully if it happens it
should happen in the final."
Asked why she chose to write an autobiography at 29, she replied,
"Let's hope I have a long career ahead, nobody knows what's going to
happen in future. I thought I was going to finish my career in 2010 and
here in 2016 I am still playing.
"I thought it was the right time, there is no right or wrong time,
it's what you feel what is the right time for you. For me I felt like so
good time to do it. I have a lot of stories to tell and have been able
to tell. If I have more, we can always write a sequel."
No comments:
Post a Comment