Sania Mirza has had her last at the Australian Open 2022. She lost her mixed doubles with Rajeev Ram to Jason Kubler and Jaimee Fourlis. Here are her top four moments in the tournament to date.
After 18 years, Indian tennis star Sania Mirza has brought her Australian Open (AO) career to an end. On Tuesday, she played her last game at the event, losing in the mixed doubles along with Rajeev Ram to Jason Kubler and Jaimee Fourlis. Earlier, she had lost her women's doubles with Nadiia Kichenok. As she bids farewell to the Grand Slam (GS) in the final tennis career year, we look at her four top moments at the AO.
First GS title
It was in 2009 when Sania had won her maiden Slam title. It happened to be the mixed doubles title along with Mahesh Bhupathi. The pair defeated Nathalie Dechy and Andy Ram in the final. It remains her only win in the mixed doubles category to date, having ended up as the runner-up on three occasions.
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Women's doubles success
Following her 2009 mixed doubles success, Sania had to wait for seven years for another title success. In 2016, she won a title again at the event, this time in the women's doubles category. Along with Swiss legend Martina Hingis, she attained the feat, defeating Andrea Hlaváčková and Lucie Hradecká of the Czech Republic.
First-ever GS match
Sania also had her singles run at the event, as she played her first-ever Slam match at this event. In 2005, she was up against Cindy Watson in her maiden GS match, while she qualified until Round 3, where she lost to American legend Serena Williams.
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First female Indian seed at AO
Sania made it to the event's singles again the following year, while she was seeded this time. As a result, she became the first-ever Indian female to seed the Slam. While she was seeded 32nd, she lost to Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands in the second round.