Sania Mirza is an Indian Tennis Player. She is the recipient of Padma Shri, Arjuna Award, and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. She is one of the highest paid and high profile athletes of India.
Wiki/Biography
Sania Mirza was born on 15 November 1986 (age 32 years; as in 2018) in Mumbai. Her zodiac sign is Scorpio.
She attended Hyderabad’s Nasr School and went to St. Mary’s College to pursue her graduation. At the age of 6, she started playing tennis. Initially, her father, Imran Mirza, coached her but later she joined Roger Anderson’s coaching institute to receive her training. Sania won 10 singles and 13 doubles as a junior player. In 2008, Mirza was conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from MGR Educational and Research Institute in Chennai. In addition to tennis, she is also very good at cricket and swimming.
Physical Appearance
Height: 5′ 6″
Weight: 57 Kg
Hair Colour: Dark Brown
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Figure Measurements: 38-26-36
Family, Caste & Husband
Sania Mirza belongs to a Sunni Muslim Family and follows Islam. Her father, Imran Mirza, is a journalist and her mother’s name is Nasima Mirza. She has a younger sister, Anam Mirza.
Sania got engaged to her childhood friend, Sohrab Mirza, a businessman, but unfortunately, they parted ways due to some misunderstandings.
Sania was in a relationship with the Pakistani cricketer, Shoaib Malik. The couple got married after five months of courtship. They have a son, Izhaan Mirza Malik, who was born in 2018.
Career
Sania Mirza started her tennis career in 2003 in the AP Tourism Hyderabad Open in which she gave a tough competition to Nicole Pratt in round one but lost in three sets. Subsequently, she made a win over Svetlana Kuznetsova, Vera Zvonareva, Marion Bartoli; as well as former world No. 1s Martina Hingis, Dinara Safina, and Victoria Azarenka in her singles career. By mid-2007, Sania reached the world rank #27 in the singles. However, a major wrist injury forced her to give up her singles career and focus on the doubles championships. In 2009, she won her first grand slam at the Australian Open with Mahesh Bhupathi. She followed it by winning two more grand slams at the French Open and the US Open. In all, she has received 6 Grand Slam titles in her career.
In 2013, she became the first South Asian woman to become the UN Goodwill Ambassador for South Asia. In the following year, Sania was made the brand ambassador of the Telangana State. She has even endorsed brands like Vita, Adidas, and Sprite.
In 2015, Sania won the Wimbledon Championships along with the Swiss tennis player Martina Hingis. She also achieved #1 WTA rank in the women’s doubles event. Mirza has won a total of 14 medals, out of which 6 are gold at the three major sports events, namely, the Commonwealth Games, the Asian Games, and the Afro-Asian Games.
Controversies
- In 2009, Sania got engaged to her childhood friend Sohrab Mirza. However, she attracted controversy when her engagement broke in the same year.
- A case was filed against Sania by a lawyer who accused her of showing disrespect to the national flag.
Net Worth
Her net worth is estimated to be $8 million.
Favourite Things
- Food: Hyderabadi Biryani
- Actors: Salman Khan, Arjun Rampal, Akshay Kumar
- Films: Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Phool Aur Kaante, Mohra, Maine Pyaar Kiya, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
- Perfumes: Purplelight, Dolce
- Destinations: London, Paris, Thailand
- Singer: Asha Bhosle
Facts
- Her hobbies include swimming and travelling.
- Sania was the most searched Indian sportsperson in the year 2010 as per the Google trends.
- Mirza is a huge fan of the tennis player, Steffi Graf.
- She is very passionate about cats.
- Sania is a movie buff and according to her, she has seen the film “Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham” more than 30 times.
- In 2014, a fatwa was issued in her name putting objections on her outfit in the tennis courts.
- Sania is good friends with the Bollywood director and producer, Farah Khan.
- Sania is the first Indian tennis player to have won prize money more than 1 million US dollar.
- She has featured on the covers of various magazines including Verve, Time Magazine, Outlook Splurge, and Better Homes and Gardens.
- Sania is the first Indian woman to win a tennis WTA title. She was also ranked India’s number 1 player from the year 2003 to 2013.
- When Sania was going through the struggle phase of her life, it was Adidas that sponsored her training and the sports lady has repaid the company by becoming one of its brand ambassadors.
- She has walked the ramp for fashion designer Moni Agarwal at IIJW.