Sania Mirza is back where it all began. After some disappointing results last year, the Hyderabadi shaped a turnaround at the Doha Asian Games, where she won the individual and team silver and then teamed up with Leander Paes for the mixed doubles gold.
The Indian ace is once again at the heart of the action at the Khalifa Tennis Complex during the Qatar Open.
"Doha success last year has been a turning point for me. Things really started clicking from here," says Sania, after a rigorous training session. "It's great to be back here especially after the Asian Games.
"I really miss that atmosphere. I was just talking to my trainer (Heath Matthews), and told him 'It's been just two months, but it feels like ages'. I read in the papers that the entry is free. I don't know how good that idea is," she laughs.
"You can see it in people's eyes, they are so proud to have you around. The welcome has always been the same, be it in Asia, Dubai or Doha. In the Middle East, they of course take special pride, as I come from the same community. They feel someone is representing them in the world."
Though the focus is once again on her despite bigger names like Justine Henin and Martina Hingis around, Sania believes the pressure this time around won't be as huge as the Asian Games.
"At the Games, I started as firm favourite. I was one of the top seeds and was expected to win. But, here I am one of the last ones in the main draw. So, I am excited to go out there and give my best.
"Qatar Open is a much bigger platform. Here we have the likes of Martina Hingis, Patty (Schnyder), HeninÂ… It's going to be a different scenario."
Coming from Hyderabad, Sania generated a lot of interest when she burst on the tennis scene as a vibrant teenager with a killer forehand. She was listed as one of 10 Asian heroes by Times magazine in 2005 and voted the WTA Newcomer of the Year. The adulation has flown in and Sania has attained an iconic status in the country, but has only one title to show.
She has been unable to add to the 2005 Hyderabad Open, which she won as an 18-year-old, but Sania thinks it's only a matter of time before she breaks the title drought.
"No, it's just not playing on my mind that I have won just one WTA tournament. People finish their careers playing tennis and sometimes end up not winning one.
"All I can say, I was fortunate to win the title much early in my career. Even not many players in the top 10, top 20 in the world win many WTA titles. We need to win five to six matches to clinch a tournament and that's not easy. I have been working harder than ever before," asserts Sania.
"I have played lot of matches in the past few months and I am pretty pleased with the results. So the success again will happen sooner or later."
The first two months of 2007 have been a lot better than the same period last year. A fitter and faster Sania made an impact in the Hopman Cup in Perth, where she won two of her three singles matches. She also made it to the semi-final of two of the four tournaments she has played in and reached the quarterfinal at the Bangalore Open.
"It's great to have a trainer in Heath. Since last October end, we have put in lots of effort and I think I can feel it on the court. Now I move a lot faster and I am hitting the ball well. And most importantly, I have not had major injuries in the last few months," she says.
"He was earlier with Mahesh (Bhupathi) and now training both of us. He is a great trainer as well as a good physio and that combination helps you a lot."
Sania, who lost in the first round at Wimbledon last year, welcomed the decision of having equal prize money for women at the grasscourt Grand Slam, starting this year.
"I think it's a great honour. It's one of the biggest days in the history."
"Wimbledon is known to not changing certain things they have followed from start. This step shows that we are good enough as the men. It was never about the money; it was not that we needed those few hundred thousand dollars. It is just a matter of equality and I think we all played a part to get this thing done and we are proud about it."
