Sania Mirza - General Discussion of tennis matters

[completelyconked]

What's telling though is that I sense very little of last year's fiestiness, just more weariness. She should play with her Peer.

Appalling pun

That feistiness is still very much apparent on the court, but she is clearly feeling the pressure.I am curious as to why Sania is suddenly so eager to play doubles with Peer again.I would have thought that they would have decided beforehand to play at Indian Wells.Perhaps there was some truth to that story that appeared in the Israeli paper.Maybe sania is having second thoughts about backing down from fear of bad publicity.There was a hint of her trademark stubborness.

They were on opposing teams in B'lore,but it was very obvious that they are close friends,which makes me wonder why they split up in the first place.I thought it a little strange that after the match Sania shook hands with Koryttseva,but she made it a point to kiss Shahar on both cheeks.Heck,I even remember her giving the middle finger to Peer in jest,and if she did that to anyone who was not a friend she'd probably get fined for obscene gestures . But its clearly not all about friendship,as she split with Anna Chakvedatze.What is so special about Shahar Peer?Sania has landed a better partner right now.Is she such a good doubles player that its worth risking more controversy(remember the Pakistani-Israeli pair that were forced to split up?),or are they both just trying to make a point?Maybe sania heard that her former fan Peter Bodo called her a coward .

[Nate]

For everybody's benefit, here is a link to that column of Peter Bodo's:

http://www.tennis.com/Tennis_World_Blog ... TRY_ID=803

He doesn't believe in keeping sports and politics apart and his outburts are more influenced by thinking on the religious lines than anything.

I was never in the camp that holds that sports and politics can be kept apart. Politics, not sports, is the dominant and pre-emptive reality of our lives, and there comes a point where sports inevitably are influenced or enslaved by that—would you be comfortable with the Anti-Jew Games, just because it's a sporting event? How about a no-Jews doubles team, featuring Sania Mirza?

Remarkable... his criticism isn't based on her tennis at all.
He might have a valid pov but it's a peripheral issue, so immaterial in the general scheme of things.

[completelyconked]

I would not take Bodo too seriously.He's surprisingly insightful as far as tennis goes, but much too clouded by bias(mary Pierce),and right-wing political views.He really liked Sania's gutsy don't-give-a-damn-about-anyone attitude,and he seems disappointed to see her back down from a stand.

Unfortunately at the USO,he,and many other western journalists were quick to sieze on Sania as just too good to be true in the current political climate.I saw this coming a mile away.First she was just the colourful,angst-ridden teenager,but since the fatwa they have started to go overboard.The media loves to create the image of the iconic rebel waging a personal war against the clergy.Many people are under the impression that sania is more interested in annoying conservatives than playing tennis .I find it pretty ironic that they should be so eager to romanticise a mere tennis player, when America is responsible for more opression than any other country in the name of what they call 'liberty'.Too much jingoistic rubbish,and unrealistic ideologies about rebellion,mean that they expect her to come out and openly defy fundamentalists which is not at all practical.
When she does the sensible thing, people like Cronin,and Bodo are quick to pounce on her.What they forget is that she is stuck in this role,more as a consequence of circumstance than intention.

However,they may not be completely off the mark.By her own confession she does not like to conform to stereotypes.Unfortunately, taking on conservative ideology is a little more complicated than wearing a saucy t-shirt.It is no big deal now,but the fatwa,and the comments about sex were no big deal either.Its all about selling a story.There are only so many fluffy stories you can write about sharapova's perfume,and serena's earrings.If they'd actually bothered to notice it, they'd realise that more than anything,sania is a gifted tennis player.Everything else is secondary.Funnily enough,Bodo has never criticised Sania for her tennis.He appears to enjoy her indisciplined sponaniety.

[completelyconked]

Sania vs Hingis clips:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=AUJHOKZ5

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZHR5ZPZ1

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UFF5UH53

[shakes1974]

i'm not able to view these files. do i need to register or anything ?

[completelyconked]

Whats the problem? I opened the pages and clicked on the links, and you should be able to download them. Sometimes you have to refresh the page a few times. You don't need to register. I've downloaded plenty of files from megaupload.

[forpar]

yeah, i was surprised too to see sania's ad. It shows how much popularity she gained. If only they could telecast some of the matches. one of us shud write to ESPN one of these days about that.....
But in the ad, why are they showing her serve... show the freaking forehand....

[jaydeep]

Check out this Sania's interview from PTI.

Staying in top-40 is tough: Sania

Jaydeep.

[jaydeep]

UNI report on Sania's interview with Times Online -

Why Sania feels like Tim Henman

It's very hard when every time you step on court the whole country has its eyes on you," Sania said told Times Online here.

"The amount of respect I have for Henman is huge because the amount of pressure he has been under every year for the last 15 years is amazing. I really feel for him," she added.

"People do expect a lot, probably more than I can do. They think that because I moved up from 180 to 30 in the world, that that's how (quickly) I'm going to move up from 30 to No 10, and it's not like that.

"You know there are a billion people watching you every time you play a tennis match. It is something incredible, but it's hard to be a normal teenager," she said.

Jaydeep.

[PKBasu]

Today is a historic day -- and about an hour from now will be a historic hour -- when an Indian woman and an Indian man will separately be playing tennis pro tour events for the very first time in Indian tennis history. Sania has created history almost every step of the way in the past 17 months, but it's nice to see an Indian male player join her today at a tour event.

(Having said that, it is possible that Harsh at Nottingham and Sania somewhere last year may already have done this...can someone confirm?).

[kishorJ]

not only RB and sania but at the same time leander too is playing the doubles in gerry weber open in adjacent court to RB/Federrer's!

[jai_in_canada]

Great advice to Andy Murray from the legendary James Scott Connors. Applies to Sania in many ways, IMO.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/5142692.stm

[sameerph]

Sania goes back to her old coach, Narendranath.
http://in.sports.yahoo.com/060719/48/66000.html

Perhaps a good move since I think Sania was getting confused with all those advices of point construction. She can now start playing her natural attacking tennis under her old coach.

[Sandeep]

Good move. Sania and Narendranath share a good rapport and I have personally seen them jelling very well. He was also AP tennis team coach during national games.

What a golden chance for Narendranath! He will now be touring with a top 50 WTA tour player! This is one heck of an opportunity to establish himself as a good coach. He should take this opportunity to understand the challenges faced by players at the highest level both physically as well as mentally. Imagine the wealth of knowledge he would be sharing with all the juniors once he returns back. I am more excited and happy for Narendranath than Sania