Sania Mirza: The original torchbearer

Much in the manner of coming, seeing and conquering, Sania Mirza had arrived and also walked into the sunset of her career following a 6-4, 6-0 defeat she and her partner, Madison Keys, suffered to Veronika Kudermetova and Liudmila Samsonova at the Dubai Open on Tuesday. Thirty years had lapsed in between. Twenty of them on the professional circuit with Sania racking up quite a few firsts and achieving what many can only dream of.

It is never easy to be the first, to find your way in uncharted territory, and come up trumps. There were detractors too. There were remarks about tennis changing her complexion, too. Her parents were also taunted “for wanting to produce another Martina Hingis.”That Sania acquitted herself very well is a testimony to her grit to succeed against odds. That will, determination or steely resolve to succeed one sees in Hyderabadi sportspersons -- ask the Australians and they will recount how they loved to see the back of VVS Laxman. Sania perhaps knew her place in the sun!

Turning professional in 2003 and winning the junior Wimbledon girls’ doubles title was just the beginning of a long career full of twists and turns. Sania traversed a career path that rivaled cricket in her time for popularity and controversy. Perhaps controversies without reason and before one could even say Alisa Kleybanova (her junior Wimbledon partner). From her attire to bold statements on her T-shirts and her outspokenness, every action and reaction of Sania was under the scanner.

If it mattered, Sania disguised it well. Like on court, where she found her best expression, and as she loved to play her game, she went for broke with a stinging forehand that was the envy of many.The Hyderabad Open title at Fateh Maidan in