Sania Mirza Ends Tennis Career With First Round Defeat In Dubai

The 36-year-old Sania Mirza, who turned Pro in 2003, walks out of competitive tennis with six Grand Slam titles, including three women's doubles with Swiss legend Martina Hingis.

A glorious chapter and an illustrious career came to an end in Indian sport on Tuesday as Sania Mirza played her last match as a professional tennis player at the WTA Dubai Duty Free Championships. Sania, who is one of the greatest tennis players ever to emerge from India, closed her glorious career with a first round defeat, losing the contest in straight sets with American partner Madison Keys in Dubai Tuesday. Sania and Keys lost 4-6, 0-6 to the formidable Russian pair of Vernokia Kudermetova and Liudmila Samsonova in exactly one hour. The 25-year-old Veronika is ranked 11th in singles and number five in the doubles while Liudmila is world number 13 in doubles.

Just a month back Sania played her last Grand Slam and ended with a runner-up finish at the Australian Open along with compatriot Rohan Bopanna.

Now settled in Dubai, Sania would have hoped for a dream closing at her second home but she bumped into a strong Russian pairing that cut short her stay in the final tournament of her career in which she won 43 WTA doubles titles and one singles trophy.

Success was not the only highlight of her almost two-decade long career as unwarranted controversies chased Sania throughout.

Sometimes she remained unfazed and kept going, achieving many a firsts. Sometimes she broke to the extent that she considered not playing in India.