Happy Birthday Sania Mirza: A look at the glorious achievements of India’s tennis icon

India’s tennis sensation Sania Mirza turns 36 today. The trailblazing athlete, who is the first Indian woman to have won a Grand Slam title in any format, contributed to the rise of women’s tennis in the country. Mirza has engraved her name as one of the best tennis players the nation has ever produced since she kickstarted her professional career in 2003.

The Padma Shri, Arjuna Award, and Khel Ratna (2015) are some of the awards in her trophy cabinet. During her illustrious career, Mirza won an astounding six grand slam titles, including three in women’s doubles and three in mixed doubles. Additionally, she bagged a total of 14 medals, including six gold, at three prominent multi-sport competitions, notably the Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games, and the Afro-Asian Games.

Today, on the occasion of her birthday, let’s take a look at Sania Mirza’s glittering accomplishments of her decorated career:

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2005 Hyderabad Open:

Even after winning as many as six ITF singles titles, Mirza’s greatest victory came in 2005 at the Hyderabad Open. She achieved her maiden WTA title by defeating Alyona Bondarenko of Ukraine 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 in the finals. The fact that she recorded the famous win in Hyderabad, her hometown, made it more remarkable for her. The prestigious triumph made her the first Indian woman to ever clinch a WTA title.

2005 US Open:

Mirza became the first Indian woman to ever make it to the fourth round of the US Open when she defeated Marion Bartoli 7-6, 6-4 in the third round of the 2005 season. She not only crushed the French player in straight sets but also dominated the entire contest. However, she had to endure defeat against Maria Sharapova in the following game.

2009 Australian Open:

In 2009, Mirza became the first Indian woman to ever claim a grand slam of any kind. Pairing with another country legend Mahesh Bhupati, she clinched the 2009 Australian Open. In the final, the duo won 6-3, 6-1 over the French and Israeli pair of Nathalie Dechy and Andy Ram.

Wimbledon 2015:

There had never been an Indian woman to win the Wimbledon championship, but that all changed in 2015 when Mirza and her teammate Martina Higgins clutched the legendary title. In an intense final, they triumphed over Vesnina and Markova by 5-7, 7-6, and 7-5, leaving their mark in the history of the sport.

Among other glorious achievements, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) ranked her No 1 in doubles on 13 April 2015. On 25 November 2013, during the celebration to commemorate the International Day to End Violence Against Women, she was also named the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador for South Asia. On 19 January this year, the tennis superstar revealed her retirement plans from the game with the conclusion of the 2022 season.