Sania injures knee, doubles participation in doubt

Indian tennis star Sania Mirza on Tuesday aggravated her left knee injury during her Wimbledon singles first round defeat which left her doubles title bid in disarray.

Sania was carrying a niggling left knee problem and she wore straps during her 6-7, 6-2, 3-6 loss to France's Virginie Razzano in the singles first round. Her doubles participation with Russia's Elena Vesnina now rests on the result of an ultrasound scan.

She tweaked her left knee within minutes of starting her singles match and she battled on and even won the second set despite being unable to change direction. 

"I've had the same injury since just before the French Open. I've been playing a lot on it," Sania said after her singles match. 

"I tweaked it in the first set. I served and fell on the leg, tried to change direction and jerked it. I was already on painkillers but immediately the pain level went up 10 times. 

"I have to see the doctor and get an ultrasound scan. It is very, very painful. I can still serve but I can't move and change direction. I'm hurting to go up and down stairs and even to walk," she said.

Sania admitted that the punishing round of singles, doubles and qualifiers took its toll and she would take rest after the Wimbledon. 

"Tennis takes a lot out of you physically and emotionally. I've been playing for 12 months continuously. It's not easy on the body. 

"From the French Open until Birmingham, I had 21 days of no day off. That's ridiculous on the body. Anyone's body's going to collapse. But that's the way the season is. 

"I was going to take a little off season after Wimbledon but depending on what my knee says I'll decide what to do."

Asked about any possibility of playing in the doubles, Sania said, "I could play with solid taping but it's a decision I have to make after I get the ultrasound as to how bad it could get if I do play on it."

"But I don't want to do something silly and be out for six months. That's the last thing you need."