India's most accomplished women's Tennis player Sania Mirza played her career's final Grand Slam, Friday, as she has decided to retire after the Dubai Tennis Championship in February. The tennis star ended her inspiring Grand Slam career with a runners-up finish alongside Rohan Bopanna in the Australian Open mixed doubles final.
Sania and Bopanna went down 6-7 (2-7), 2-6 to the Brazilian pair of Luisa Stefani and Rafael Matos at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena. With this, Sania caps off her career in professional tennis with as many as six Grand Slam titles.
Sania's husband and senior Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik shared a heartfelt message for his wife on Twitter to congratulate her after her career's final Grand Slam match.
"You are the much needed hope for all the women in sports. Super proud of you for all you have achieved in your career. You're an inspiration for many, keep going strong. Many congratulations on an unbelievable career...," Shoaib wrote on Twitter.
Never thought I'd be able to play in a Grand Slam final, in front of my son: Sania
"If I cry, these are happy tears. That’s just a disclaimer. I'm still going to play a couple of more tournaments but my journey of my professional career started in Melbourne," an emotional Sania said as she struggled to hold back tears.
"Rohan was my first-ever mixed doubles partner when I was 14 and we won the nationals, it was 22 year ago and I couldn't think of a better person, he's my best friend and one of my best partners to finish my career," Sania said, thanking Bopanna, who has one French Open mixed doubles title to his credit.
Notably, this was Sania's career's 11th Grand Slam final. Overall, she has won a total of 43 doubles titles and was even ranked the number 1 player in the women's doubles category for 91 weeks.