Sania Mirza Interview

Sania Mirza doesn't sound too pleased with the media in this interview.  Can't say I blame her, but if you take all the endorsement money you have to deal with the publicity.

From IndiaTimes: 'Movies? Sania is a tennis star'

On plans to concentrate more on doubles:

I am very young to take a decision on whether I should play only doubles or singles. Many think I am playing better in doubles, but I don’t think so. I am doing very well in singles as well as doubles and I want it to be that way.

On the movie offers she is getting:

I don’t want to talk on this aspect. Sania Mirza is a tennis player and would like to remain a tennis player and would like to be remembered only as a tennis player.

Any New Year resolution:

I don’t like taking a New Year resolution. I do not believe in all these things.

The WTA in Seoul & Guangzhou

At Hansol in Korea, Martina Hingis won her first match while yesterday saw a couple of seeded casualties (adios, Maria Kirilenko, Gisela Dulko and Lucie Safarova). She'll have a rematch with Sania Mirza in the 2nd round, whom she beat so soundly last week in the semis in Kolkata.

Over in Guangzhou, top seeds Jelena Jankovic and Na Li are through the first round.

Matt Cronin on the Teen Would-Be Phenoms

Nice look at Nicole Vaidisova and Tatiana Golovin, with bits on Sania Mirza and Shahar Pe'er.

Tantalizing teens look for breakout

Being Sania Mirza

"I have them even at Cincinnati. I have a billion people watching my every step, living a tennis match with me," Mirza said. "It is amazing, in a way, that people care so much about just a tennis match, and it can make such a difference to their lives and their moods. But the support is great, and I think I take it to my benefit and need to say I should feel lucky that I have a billion fans every time I step on the court."

That must be an incredible--and scary--feeling. Andy Murray's got pressure? Please.

Read 'Mirza under a microscope in tennis, world'

Wimbledon, Day 3

Well today we've got some really interesting match-ups. Mirza v. Dementieva in round one? Ouch. Mirza's power game is suited to grass...and Dementieva...well, I love her, but this could be the upset of the day.

Also, Nalbandian v. Clement, Djokovic v. Robredo, Santoro vs. Berdych, Malisse-Stepanek. What match ups are you looking forward to?

Looks like Ljubicic is about to take out Feli Lopez; he's already up 2 sets on court 13...I'm about to watch the rest of that one. ETA: Wow, Lopez took the 3rd set; he broke Ljubicic to love in the last game of the 3rd set (7-5). Ljubicic seemed to fade after Lopez saved break points in his last 2 games...Lopez is really battling. Let's see if he keeps it up. ETA: Brave effort from Lopez, but not enough.

ETA: Ginepri's crap year continues with his first ever loss to Mardy Fish (in straights sets! Fish had never even won a set off Robby). Davydenko was also dismissed by some Colombian named Falla.

Wimbledon Draws are Out!: The Women

Here's the women's draw. Venus landed at the bottom of Mauresmo's quarter of the draw and so did 14th seed Dinara Safina. Other trouble spots: a newly brunette Tatiana Golovin and Ana Ivanovic who's already beaten Amelie this year. Michaela Krajicek, who's still having a great week in Nottingham, is a potential 2nd round match up for Mauresmo.

Sharapova's section looks pretty straightforward until Dementieva in the quarters, though Schiavone, Sania Mirza, and Danilidou, who made the semis at the Ordina Open, could add some spice.

Hingis, Hantuchova, Jamea Jackson and Patty Schnyder are in Justine Henin-Hardenne's section of the draw. Will be interesting to see if Hingis can reach the massive roadblock that is Justine.

At the bottom of the draw, there are a few threats between #5 seed Kuznetsova and #2 seed Kim Clijsters: Vaidisova, Na Li and Kirilenko.

News: Petrova's pulled out with her lingering groin injury from the French.

Sania Mirza's Feeling the Pressure

"Everyday, It Gets Tougher"

"Last year every time I won it was a surprise. But now, each time I lose it’s a surprise...People have a lot of expectations for you, especially a billion people in India. It makes it hard.

“The last 14 years, everybody thought we were stupid to be playing tennis. People discouraged us saying it doesn’t make sense to play tennis but I always believed, it makes you mentally stronger.” Read the Article

Mirza Will Play Fed Cup Although Doctors Advise Against It

From Indiatimes: I'm playing against doc's advice: Sania

Having missed out on last year's action, Sania Mirza is braving multiple injuries to spearhead India's campaign in the upcoming Fed Cup women's team tennis competition.

Sania said that despite some serious injury concerns and doctor's advice to not play, she was keen to represent India in the Asia-Oceania zonal qualifying tie to be held in Seoul, Korea, from April 19 to 22.

"As an athlete, I am always taking risk. Sometimes you do have to take risk, and this is going to be a bigger risk," the 19-year-old said after a practice session with her teammates Ankita Bhambri and Isha Lakhani at the RK Khanna stadium.

Sania has injuries to her wrist and elbow, both of the serving right arm, and an hyper-extension of the lower back...

Sania Mirza and Aisam Qureshi: Just Friends

Pakistani tennis player Aisam Qureshi stirred up a bit of a tempest in a teapot when he casually mentioned that he and Sania Mirza are good friends.  So he was later forced to clarify that when he said that he and Sania were good friends, he meant they were...good friends.

From the Times of India: Just good friends

Sports has a way of transcending boundaries. So when Pakistan's top tennis player Aisam Qureshi is linked to our own tennis wunderkind Sania Mirza, eyebrows are bound to be raised.

And when we questioned Aisam, he hastened to clarify, "See, this is all because of a statement I made in Pakistan that Sania are I are very good friends, and that is the only truth." ...

Mirza Hopes to Play With Peer Again

The article's about how Sania Mirza has now decided to disregard criticism from some religious idiots and play doubles with Shahar Peer again, but I like her quote about her retooled game this year:

"The second year is tougher.  People know your weaknesses more. That's why I'm changing my serve now because people were taking advantage of it. It couldn't get worse, so it had to get better."

From Reuters: India's Mirza hopes to partner Israeli Peer again

India's Sania Mirza is hoping to renew her doubles partnership with Israel's Shahar Peer despite protests from some Muslim and Jewish groups.

Mirza, whose poor recent form has seen her slip from a career-high ranking of 31 at the end of 2005 to 45th, said she would have played with Peer at this week's Pacific Life Open, but the Israeli player had already booked a partner.

"You shouldn't mix up sports with anything else," the 19-year-old told Reuters at the March 8-19 tournament in Indian Wells.

Mirza Doesn't Play Doubles With Pe'er to Avoid Inflaming Muslims

For goodness sakes, it's just tennis - can't we leave all the politics out of it?

From Ynetnews: Indian tennis star refuses to play with Israeli

Indian female tennis player Sania Mirza, 19, who is ranked 39th in the world, announced that she would not play with Israeli up and coming tennis star Shahar Pe’er in the doubles tournament of the Bangalore Open for fear of violent protests by India’s Islamic community.

The two friends were prevented from cooperating in last month’s Australian Open for the same reason.

Sania Mirza: Year Two

From The Observer: India's Most Wanted

...Sania Mirza is now protected by a team of bodyguards and has been forbidden by her advisers from giving interviews to the media; for this article, they would allow her only to answer questions via email. Now, when she faces reporters for post-match press conferences, she no longer wears cheeky T-shirts and, on-court, her clothes are more sober (for a time, she wore shorts).

'It has not been easy for Sania,' Imran Mirza told me. 'We have tried to protect her as much as we can. But her name sells news.'

Mirza Back Where It Began

From The Age: One in a billion

As India's highest-ranked female player in history, Sania Mirza already has learnt to shut out the expectations of a nation. But her game may yet be big enough to carry its hopes, Rohit Brijnath writes.

Sania Mirza had seen it before, like every Indian had, had watched Indian cricketers journey in a blink from anonymity to adulation, short expeditions to fame so fast, so exaggerated, so exhausting it made the head swim. Still, for all the watching, nothing prepares you for this sweet chaos, this beautiful, bizarre altering of an existence.

In the map of her life, Australia will always be a significant destination for Mirza, the No. 32 seed at this year's Australian Open, because right here at Melbourne Park, 12 months ago, the first warnings of a life forever changed arrived.

When, relatively unknown, she became the first Indian woman to reach the third round of a grand slam tournament against Serena Williams, the calls began. A drip became many, became a flood.

"I had no idea where they (the press) got my number from and I had to switch my phone off," she explained two days ago. It was the beginning...

Mirza Tries to Get Media Off Her Back

From AFP: Starlet slams faith obsession

INDIAN sensation Sania Mirza has hit out at the obsession with her religion, saying more attention should be paid to her tennis than her Muslim faith.

The 19-year-old, who has just completed a three-week stint working on her serve and volley with Australian tennis guru Tony Roche, is regarded as a trailblazer for Indian and Muslim women, but wants people to stop blurring her profession and her beliefs.

"I think everyone mixes up religion and sport. I'm a sports person and religion is something very personal," she said.

"Yes, I'm a practising Muslim but I don't understand why only I'm asked about my religion. Everyone's got a religion out there. I wonder why no one else is asked about it.

"I feel it's a very personal thing. It's my personal choice and I don't feel the need to justify it to anyone."

Mirza Completes Coaching Stint With Roche

From Outlook India: Sania ready for the new season

Having completed a fruitful training stint with renowned coach Tony Roche, Sania Mirza is ready to return to the courts with renewed vigour...

The stint with Roche should have prepared her for the tough weeks ahead. She has spent five hours each day on court with the 60-year-old Aussie, who won seven singles titles and recently coached men's world number one Roger Federer.

She was under the direct supervision of Roche and had Australia's Sophie Ferguson as hitting partner. "He (Roche) worked on my overall game with a special emphasis on the serve and volley," Sania said.

Mirza Told to Learn to Deal with Media

From Outlook India: Learn to handle media, McNamara tells Sania

Former world number seven and three-time Grand Slam champion Peter McNamara today said teen sensation Sania Mirza would do well to realise that shrewd handling of the media was part of the secret to sporting success.

McNamara, also a former Davis Cupper, said "media was part of modern tennis" and making it work in his or her favour was to the sportsperson's own good.

"It is easy to turn it (media) against you. One thing you don't want is media against you... To handle them is part of professional education," McNamara, in city for the Australian Open Ballkids Trials programme, said.

Mirza in a Bad Mood

From Web India 123: Sania Mirza walks out of press conference

Irked by a volley of personal questions, Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza walked out of a crowded press conference organised here tonight in connection with a function organised by the Malabar Group of companies.

At the very start of the conference, Sania, who represents the Malabar Group as a brand ambassador, has asked the media to restrain from asking personal questions.

''I had come to represent the Malabar group, a NRI jewellery group and would want to talk about the company's future plans,'' she explained. But when mediapersons persisted with personal questions, an angry Sania walked out in a huff, leaving the organisers and co-ambassador and Malayalam film star Mohanlal to face the media.

Mirza in Trouble With Muslims Again

I love the complete lack of context here by protesters.  The girl was just trying to help out at an AIDS prevention thing (an admirable choice) and mumbled some vague words about sex.  She's just turned 19 and is still new to her role as a public speaker.  Obviously there was no intent to "corrupt Muslim youth." 

It does, however, sound as if the media are exaggerating the intensity of the protests a bit - just enjoying stirring up controversy.

From the AP:  Tennis star under fire

Indian tennis star Sania Mirza insists she opposes premarital sex, a statement that came as crowds burned effigies of the 19-year-old Muslim over her earlier remarks advocating safe sex.

Mirza already has been criticized for her tennis clothing, usually a short skirt and midriff-revealing T-shirt. Sections of orthodox Muslim clergy say she is leading astray young Muslims, especially girls.

"I would like to clearly say on record that I could not possibly justify premarital sex, as it is a very big sin in Islam and one which I believe will not be forgiven by Allah," Mirza said Friday.

Mirza Comments On Clothing Controversy

From the AFP: Star unfazed by 'style councils'

INDIAN tennis prodigy Sania Mirza, under fire from Muslim clerics for wearing short skirts on court, says people should care more about how she plays.

"As long as I'm winning, people shouldn't care whether my skirt is six inches long or six feet long," the 19-year-old Muslim said at a media forum in New Delhi.

Mirza had not commented about her attire since the criticism.

"How I dress is a very personal thing," she said, wearing a long-sleeved black-and-white shirt and black trousers.

Mirza Turns 19

From The Times of India: Sania to celebrate birthday at home

India's tennis ace Sania Mirza, who rose to dizzy heights of the game during the year, will spend a quiet "closed door" birthday with her family here on Tuesday, her mother said...

"It will be a quiet birthday," Naseema told IANS. "It will be a closed-door family affair.

"There are no plans to have any sponsorship announcement on that day," said Naseema.

Mirza Looks Ahead...and Rules Out Film Career

From New Kerala: Sania hopes to be fit in two weeks, to return in court in January

Plagued by a back injury which forced her to pull out of Thailand Open, tennis ace Sania Mirza said she would be fit in two weeks and would be back in the circuit in January next year.

''I'm recovering well and the injury is much better now. I think it will take a couple of weeks more to heal completely,'' said the Hyderabadi teenager who is here on a promotional campaign.

Mirza Excited About Clothing Line

From New Kerala: Sania excited about signature line in December

Her outfits are as much in the news as is her awesome forehand and tennis ace Sania Mirza is eagerly waiting for her signature brand to hit the market, come December.

After inaugurating Lotto's first flagship store here today, Sania told UNI that she was looking forward to the December launch os the collection.

''It certainly feels great to have a signature line, for there are handful of people, may be three or four, to have it and I'm eagerly waiting for its launch,'' said Sania who will become the first Indian sportsperson to achieve the feat.

Sania insisted she was not just lending her name only but had contributed in the designing as well.

''I've been part of the designing process as well and hence I'm more eager to see the response,'' she said.

Free Car for Mirza

From New Kerala: Sania 'Getz' a car

Hyundai Motor India presented Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza with a red-coloured 'Hyundai Getz' here today.

Handing over the keys, Hyundai Motor India Senior Vice-President (Sales) V D Bhasin wished Sania, who is also the company's new brand ambassador, a successful and exciting journey in her car and career.

Mr Bhasin described Sania and Getz a perfect match and said her pursuit of excellence in the game and her personality were totally in sync with the youthful ''Getz U'' positioning of the car.

''We are proud to present the car to our rising tennis star and youth icon,'' he added.

Sania said that she was happy with the her new gift and was planning to drive the car in the city.

Nice way for Mirza to start her endorsement deal with Hyundai.

Sania Mirza is Just a Tennis Player

From The Hindu: Sania's huge burden

So, Sania Mirza has yet another new role — that of a world-changing pioneer. If you were to believe the pundits, the Hyderabad teenager can have a major impact on issues and events that a Nelson Mandela might find mind-bogglingly complex.

Driven by Utopian impulses, even the well-meaning and erudite can sometimes find the temptation to settle for naive and simplistic assessments irresistible. Yet, these temptations are to be resisted, for they can do the celebrated young woman more harm than good in the long run...

Mirza Not Changing Indian Tennis Overnight

From ndtv.com: Sania factor fails to attract sponsors

In spite of the spotlight on Indian women's tennis thanks to Sania Mirza, Sonal believes that there hasn't been any significant change in the attitude of sponsors.

"I think it's taken the focus away from the juniors and there's not much sponsorship coming their way. We haven't seen any change in the way the people are spending. Unfortunately, they've spent it only on her," says Sonal...

Roche to Work With Mirza in December

From the Sydney Morning Herald: Roche called up to put a little shine on a rising star (registration required)

Demand for the services of acclaimed coach Tony Roche continues, with the part-time mentor of world No.1 Roger Federer agreeing to guide emerging Indian player Sania Mirza through a three-week training stint before Christmas.

Roche was approached by friend and former Davis Cup opponent Jaidip Mukerjea to work with Mirza, an 18-year-old who has risen from outside the top 200 to the brink of the women's top 30 in a year. He expects to host Mirza in Sydney after returning from his latest collaboration with Federer at next month's Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai.

"I think at this stage the people who are looking after her just felt that she needs a bit of work on a few areas of her game, so I'm just going to have a look at her and just see what she needs to do," Roche said.

"She's had a pretty good year, made some big inroads, so it will be interesting to see. I'm not going to be travelling - I'm just going to help her with a bit of what she needs to work on for a couple of weeks."

Pakistanis Approve of Mirza's Attire

From Outlook India: 'Pakistanis have no objection to modern tennis dress code'

Sania Mirza's dress code may have become a subject of debate in India but people in the neighbouring Pakistan have an open mind towards modern dress code of women tennis players, says a budding talent from that country.

Mirza to Get Her Own Clothing Line

From The Times of India: Now, Sania's signature style

Dress code or no, Sania Mirza isn't skirting the issue. The 18-year-old tennis star will soon become the first Indian woman sportsperson to have a signature line of clothing.

Lotto, Sania's sponsors, are busy designing the collection they intend to launch in the first week of December. Says B D Nathani, V-P of Sierra Industrial Enterprises — the official licensee for Lotto in India: "Sania has a definite style that we want to incorporate in the collection which will comprise western wear with Indian sensibilities."

The line will include tennis apparel, fashion wear as well as formal attire targeted at youth between the age group of 15 and 25.

Sania Mirza Attends Davis Cup Tie

From Newindpress.com: Sania prefers mobile phones to Davis Cup ties?

Dressed in a colourful kurti and flanked by her father, tennis sensation Sania Mirza showed up at the venue of the India-Sweden Davis Cup world group play-off tie here Monday - but her mobile kept her engaged...

Sania sat alongside the court but her attention seemed to be directed more towards her mobile than the Prakash Amritraj-Thomas Johannson reverse singles encounter.

Now there's news - a teenager who likes to talk on the phone.

Mirza's Stay a Short One

There go the walk up ticket sales.  After much ado and one fatwa, Melinda Czink ended Sania Mirza's singles run at the Sunfeast Open today 0-6, 6-4, 6-4. 

From The Telegraph: Czink spoils Sania's party

Hurricane Sania turned out to be a storm in a tea cup...

And Sania had only Sania to blame, as she let go off a psychological advantage of winning the first set to love and letting Czink in.

Her first serves, already under the scanner, deserted her completely; numerous unforced errors and five double faults added to the humiliation of being bested by the world No. 122.

Of course, it didn’t help that Czink, whose forehand was her strength, upped her game by attacking Sania’s backhand, the Indian’s weakness, relentlessly.

Sania Mirza in Kolkata

It's all Sania Mirza all the time in the Indian press this week as Mirza plays in the debut Sunfeast Open.  A quick score check just now shows she had no trouble disposing of Juni Namigata 6-2, 6-2 in the first round today, but here's a sampling of what's going on in the press.

From Outlook India: Security tightened further for Sania

"We are not taking any chances. The commandos will be there with her whenever she ventures out of her hotel room," said a senior police officer...

"I think we will have to bear with this. This is an unusual situation. We have to protect the national treasure (Sania)," Mahesh Bhupathi, who owns Globosport, organisers of the tournament, said during an interaction with newspersons.

It sounds like she's in jail.

You'd never compare Mirza's go-for-broke aggressive tennis game with Bjorn Borg's human backboard routine, but rediff.com does find a similarity between the two players: Can Sania Mirza do a Bjorn Borg?

Bhupathi Comments on Mirza

Indian doubles player Mahesh Bhupathi did an interview with rediff.com and commented on Sania Mirza's reaction to the fatwa issued against her:

How does it affect her as a player, this talk of a fatwa?

It affects you, obviously; when you don't do anything wrong, and when you are doing everything to bring fame to your country, you come home after a great US Open, and the first thing you hear is this in the press.

Obviously, it's going to affect you. I know it for a fact it has affected her. But I know she is mentally pretty strong and, hopefully, she will get over it.

Sania Mirza

From SportsStar: The essential SANIA

MAYBE one day she'll change and it will be a shame. Maybe she'll turn retiring, cloak herself in bashfulness, and it'll be a pity. Maybe she'll clamp her mouth shut and walk demurely and stifle her individuality and what a disappointment it would be.

Because the way Sania Mirza is now, it's something we haven't seen, not here, not ever, a head-high, T-shirt blaring ("You can either agree with me or be wrong" one said), adrenalin-surging, power-hitting, scalp-hunting, nose-ringed teenage girl with a dream so big, so wild, so crazy that it's scary and it's beautiful...

Mirza's Response to Muslim Fundamentalists

Some awfully tough, and I think unfair, comments from Matthew Cronin at tennisreporters.net today about Sania Mirza:

"I like Sania Mirza quite a bit, even though she's a bit too arrogant for her Top 40-ranking. But the 19-year-old has to know that as a Muslim from Hindu-led India, she's going to be dealing with religious issues for the rest of her life, including her fashion choices. She's a national hero in short skirts, and the Islamic fundamentalists do not want her to exert any real influence on other young women who might get "heretical" ideas about dressing the way they want to.

To her credit, Sania has stuck up for the positive principles of her religion. But, the fact is, there are numerous negative ones, such as the existence of extremists who have declared a "fatwa" on her. That's when it's either time to stand up and say that your religious opponents are wrong and don't represent the thinking of many young Muslims, or you leave that religion. You cannot exists in the middle in these disputes, nor can you ignore them by saying "I'm an athlete and I don't want to discuss politics." Politics exist in every part of life, like it or not."

She's all of 18 years old and she's supposed to have reached this level of political consciousness?  Not to mention, the fatwa was only issued a week or so ago.  What is the appropriate amount of time one is permitted to allow to pass before one figures out  how to respond to having a fatwa declared on you?  I suspect it may be more than a week. 

It's easy for someone on the sidelines to declare she should take a stand, but she's the one who would actually have to live with the consequences of that.  Give her and her family time to sort out how to deal with this totally unfair situation that she, through no fault of her own, finds herself in. 

Sania Mirza

Though they're not admitting it, Sania Mirza's people appear to be taking steps to moderate the whole clothing flap.  From newindpress.com: Sania's endorsement rules - six products in 30 days

India's rising tennis star Sania Mirza will not do any commercials that portray her as a "glamorous object" and endorse only six products at a time, for which 30 days in a year have been earmarked...

"We are not going to work with brands that interfere with her tennis, those who (want to) treat her as a glamorous object rather than a tennis player, that make demands on her time at the cost of her tennis, especially at this stage."

From Outlook India: Sania not to walk the ramp

Disappointing her admirers, India's tennis sensation Sania Mirza has decided not to walk the ramp in a fashion pageant featuring competing players at the USD 170,000 WTA Tour Sunfeast Open starting here on Monday.

The 18 year-old, who has bowled over sports buffs in India and abroad both with her on-court performances, will only be among the audience when the likes of 2004 French Open champion Anastasia Myskina and Russia's Elena Likhovtseva take part in the catwalk being organised by an apparel maker to launch a new range of designwear.

Sania Mirza

I know all famous athletes live in a fishbowl of sorts, but I really wonder  how long Sania Mirza can continue to function in an environment like this.  From Kolkata Newsline: Women commandos to protect Sania

KOLKATA’s wallscape has started changing fast. With India’s latest tennis sensation Sania Mirza’s “scantily” dressed posters occupying more and more space and Muslim fundamentalists issuing threats, Kolkata Police is gearing up for the Sunfeast Open Women’s Tennis Tournament which starts at Netaji Indoor Stadium on September 19, the first major event in the city where Sania will appear since acquiring stardom.

The police will deploy women commandos to steer the participants, especially Sania, out of harm’s way during the “big event”...

Maulana Siddiqullah Chowdhury, secretary of the West Bengal unit of the Jamat-e-Ulema Hind, said, “Islam never allows women to wear skirts, shorts and sleeveless tops. But this girl is violating all these norms. No doubt, she has brought a bad name to the religion, which never permits women to dress scantily. I think she should not be allowed to enter the city.”

Sania Mirza

The predominantly Muslim nation of Indonesia was looking forward to watching Sania Mirza play in the Wismilak International in Bali this week, but she had a short stay.  Ekaterina Bychkova defeated her 6-3, 6-2 in the first round. 

If this report in the Jakarta Post is accurate, Mirza is understandably not enjoying the most recent controversy over her clothing.

The 18 year old was buttoned down in Bali, wearing a white tennis shirt in place of her usual attire. She seemed tense in her postmatch press conference, praising the beauty of Bali at one point and then retorting that "you'd be writing something different if I'd won" when asked if her problem was that she had no plan B to change a losing game.

When asked to comment on the "Islam controversy", Mirza, who is Muslim, snapped, "I don't want to talk about religion" and walked out of the room.

All a matter of interpretation by the reporter though.

Sania Mirza

Now Sania Mirza is stirring up trouble in the madrasas.  This one just made me laugh.  From the Hindustan Times: Madrasa takes Sania buff to task

The debate over tennis sensation Sania Mirza's dress code among the Muslim clergy is not even sparing the fans. A senior madrasa student was recently "caught" by the hostel warden when he found one of her posters tacked to the wall of the student's room during a surprise check.

The enraged warden hauled the student to the seminary head's room for an explanation. "How dare you do that," the head quizzed. To which, the boy shot back that he was also an Irfan Pathan fan. "Wasn't he able to distinguish between the dresses the two sported?" Mustering courage, the student said he "admired" Sania for her achievement and nothing else. However, the seminary heads are not convinced.

Sania Mirza

I'm pretty sure this is a first-time tennis headline.  From The Peninsula: Sania loses biryani and Barista visits to tennis

New Delhi: No more biryani and no more visits to Barista for leisurely chats over coffee — just some of the sacrifices India’s tennis ace Sania Mirza has made to concentrate on her game...

With success, Sania’s security has become a cause for concern for everyone. “She has a bodyguard now at all times wherever she goes out. She doesn’t go out much anyway,” Blah said “Everything she does is very controlled and monitored, unless she is with friends. She doesn’t go to Barista, for example, the way she used to.” ...

Blah admitted that she could not be put in a glasshouse. “She has to have normality as well. It’s tough but we are trying to do the best we can.” What helped was that Sania was essentially a homebody. “She spends more time at home than anywhere else. But this is also what she has grown up with... She comes from a conservative family, and she doesn’t do the things that a lot of other kids from other cities do,” he said.

Muslim Clerics Back Mirza

Sanity reigns.  From the AP: Top Muslim clerics support Indian tennis star over short skirt controversy

Top Muslim clerics came out in support of India's teen tennis sensation Sania Mirza, days after a Muslim group in her hometown issued an edict describing her short skirts and sleeveless shirts as un-Islamic.

"What Sania wears in (the) tennis court is the demand of the game," said Khalid Rashid of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, which arbitrates over religion-related issues for more than 160 million Muslims living in this country.

"Perhaps, the fatwa (edict) was issued to gain cheap publicity," Rashid told The Associated Press.

Sania Mirza Clothing Controversy

Why is it that life never lets you enjoy anything for too long?  When Sania Mirza arrived home in India after her fourth round defeat by Maria Sharapova at the U.S. Open she was treated as a conquering hero, the first Indian woman to ever make it the the fourth round of a Grand Slam.

I thought it was great that the Indian public was able to look at the "glass half full" and recognize  Mirza's accomplishments rather than comparing her level to that of Sharapova's, who is the same age as her.

But now some fool of a cleric in Kolkata, India has decided to issue a fatwa against Mirza because of the clothing she wears on court.  From the AP: Muslim group slams female Indian tennis star for wearing revealing clothing

Sania Mirza

Maria Sharapova showed Sania Mirza she isn't quite ready to slug it out with the top ladies, but the best ever finish by an Indian woman in a Grand Slam was quite an accomplishment in its own right, and the Sania Mirza bandwagon rolls on in India. 

From the Economic Times: Six lessons for pros from Sania Mirza

The aggressive streak

Being talented and skilled is fine. But for most young professionals having Mirza’s streak of aggression would be a bonus to strike success in the corporate world. A complete go-getter who refuses to be bogged down by tribulations in the form of recurring abdomen pain or ankle injury, going all out on the offensive has been Mirza's plan of action.

And from newindpress.com: Sania hopes to be world number one

Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza, who is back home after playing a historic though unsuccessful fourth round of the US Open, is hoping she will one day be world number one.

"I can be world number one, Inshallah," Sania told newsmen on Thursday, a day after returning from the US.

Sania Mirza Article

The WTA site has a piece on Sania Mirza: Breaking New Ground: Sania Mirza

Mirza Still Adjusting to Fame

The Cincinnati Enquirer has a funny article of the relative obscurity Sania Mirza is enjoying: Midwest offers a refuge for India's tennis icon

If it's anonymity that Sania Mirza's after, she has found her nirvana...

"I didn't realize that, at 18, I'd be running away from the paparazzi," Mirza said. "I like being outside of India now, because I like the anonymity. In India, I don't go out so much. I don't like people staring at me. But I have no complaints.

"When you come from a place like India, everything I say is analyzed. It's something very different over there. I change my earring, and it has to be in the paper. It gets you after a while."

Mirza's U.S. Connection

Sania Mirza moved into the quarterfinals in Cincinnati with her 7-6(5), 7-5 victory over Kristina Brandi today and the Cincinnati Enquirer reveals that she's feeling very comfortable in the local area: Indian teen tennis sensation advances to quarterfinals

Sania Mirza is feeling at home in Cincinnati.

The Indian teen tennis sensation has an uncle, Kamran, who lives in Springfield, Ohio, and she said she has enjoyed sampling the local cuisine with her uncle each night during her stay in the Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open.

Mirza, Bhupathi Promote Tennis in India

From the Hindustan Times: Desi tennis champs take to streets

Traffic stalled and hundreds of office goers stopped to take a look as India's tennis superstars Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza on Monday took to the streets of Bangalore for a friendly contest.

The 30-minute game, a promotional build-up to the Sunfeast Open 2005 in Kolkata from Sep 19-25, was held near the Vidhan Soudha, the stately secretariat in the heart of the city, during peak office hour.

Vehicular movement came to a standstill as Mahesh and Sania battled at the makeshift court to demonstrate their powerful serves, volleys and rallies.

The friendly encounter saw Mahesh beat Sania 6-1 in the only set they played. However, in response to the cheering spectators asking for more, they agreed to play another set, which ended in a tie-break.

Be Careful What You Wish For

It sounds like Sania Mirza is well into experiencing the downside of fame and fortune.  From the  BBC: Mirza-mania

Asked what life is like in India now, she replied: "Whenever I go out I need security, let's put it that way.

"It's tough. People have never had a woman doing well in such a big sport so they're very, very excited."

Mirza is relaxed and cheerful as she discusses the response from her home country, but it is clear the pressure is never far from her mind.

Does it faze her?

"It fazes me here, it fazes me everywhere but it's not in my control," she said.

"The fans expect a lot more than I can actually do. Do I think it's fair? No, but there's not much I can do about it.

Meaningless Public Relations Gesture of the Day

The Hindu reports that the Andara Pradesh government has granted Rs. 20 lakhs to new Indian tennis star Sania Mirza to pay for training costs.  Now they want to pay for training costs!  After all the endorsements she's picked up since her third-round showing at the Australian Open?  Hopefully Sania will have the good sense to pass it along to a younger Indian player who has yet to hit the big time financially.

And my math skills may be even worse than I thought because I tried to convert 20 lakhs into U.S. dollars and I keep coming up with 2 million dollars.  That can't be right, can it?  I'm sure the Andara Pradesh government has better things to spend 2 million dollars on. 

Does Sania Have Time For Tennis?

Because of her ankle injuries Sania Mirza won't be able to play in India's upcoming Fed Cup tie, but she's still the story.  From The Hindu: Tennis remains my priority: Sania

Sania Mirza on Sunday asserted that tennis still remained her number one priority and that she was not being distracted by her recent success and the new found fame that has come along with it.

Sania Mirza

Even though she isn't playing much tennis as she tries to recover from what have become chronic ankle injuries, Sania Mirza continues to make news in India. 

From India Daily: Sania mania catches Internet - she may be  most popular Indian in the world

More On the Meaning of 'Sania Mania'

From The Independent: Mirza and Karthekeyan's rise redefines the boundary of India's cricket obsession

India has had tennis stars before - many years ago, and they were all men - and Karthikeyan's own father was a successful rally driver. But the reason behind the two new stars' huge popularity is partly that they have arrived after this long drought in Indian sporting success, and partly that they have arrived on the scene at a time when Indian society is changing.

With its economy booming, India has a large and growing middle class with the time and money to spend on sports like tennis. And if few can aspire to motor racing, the days are gone when the only car on the Indian roads was the graceful but slow Hindustan Ambassador, modelled on an old Fifties-era Morris. Today there is a burgeoning and competitive new car market which provides plenty of potential sponsors for the likes of Karthikeyan.

Both, inevitably, come from wealthy, middle-class backgrounds. Funding for the poor to make it in sports other than cricket in India is non-existent, depressingly illustrated by India's brightest swimming prospect tragically committing suicide last year because the government would not pay for surgery she needed on an injury that would otherwise end her career.

Karthikeyan and Mirza may never achieve the worldwide acclaim in their their respective fields as Tendulkar, but if their legacy is that the Indian people - and authorities - can see beyond the all-powerful institution of cricket for sporting fulfilment, then India may yet, one day, celebrate Olympic gold.