Interview: Sania Mirza discusses Dubai farewell, trailblazing exploits, legacy and more

DUBAI: Indian icon Sania Mirza will bow out of professional tennis the same way she entered it – doing things on her own terms and in her own way.  

The former doubles world No.1 will contest the final tournament of her career in Dubai this week, where she is teaming up with Madison Keys for one last hurrah.

A true trailblazer for Indian athletes, Mirza took an unusual path when she ventured into tennis as a young girl over two decades ago and she never wavered even in the face of, at times, severe scrutiny.

Six Grand Slam doubles and mixed doubles titles that highlighted a history-making pro career later, Mirza recovered from a torn elbow tendon she sustained last summer, forcing herself to go through weeks of rehab and conditioning so she could retire on the court at what she considers her home tournament here in Dubai.

The 36-year-old will play her opening round at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium for one last time alongside Keys against Veronika Kudermetova and Liudmila Samsonova on Monday, as she gets ready to bid farewell to the sport.

Never one to walk away without making an impression, in her last Grand Slam appearance at the Australian Open in January, Mirza reached the mixed doubles final with her friend and compatriot Rohan Bopanna, ensuring she flew back home to Dubai with one more piece of silverware, thanks to their runner-up showing in Melbourne.

“I’m really happy to be very honest because I’m very excited for the next phase of my life and what it has in store for me,” Mirza told Arab News on the eve of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

“I’m sure I’ll get emotional just as I did in Australia at the end of the tournament, but more, I’m just feeling a lot of gratitude.

“I feel very