Australian Open: Sania Mirza bids farewell after quarter-finals loss in mixed doubles

Sania Mirza and her American partner Rajeev Ram lost 4-6, 6-7 (5-7) to Australian pair Jason Kubler and Jaimee Fourlis in the mixed doubles quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Tuesday. It could possibly be the last time that Sania played in Melbourne, having said earlier that she would be calling time on her career at the end of the 2022 season.

The Australian wildcard entrants were dominant in the first set but they had to dig deep to win the second. Sania and Ram were leading 4-2 in the second when Fourlis and Kubler fought back to make it 5-5. The younger pair then held their nerves to go on and win the set 7-6, thereby winning the match 6-4, 7-6 and enter semifinals of the Grand



Slam.

Earlier, in women’s doubles, Sania Mirza and her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok lost 4-6, 6-7(5) to Slovenian team of Tamara Zidansek and Kaja Juvan in the first round.

Six-time Grand Slam champion Sania said after the match that her body is wearing down and she is looking to give more time to her young family because of which she will not be playing after the 2022 season.

"There are a bunch of reasons for it. I do feel my recovery is taking longer and considering my son is three years old, I do feel I am putting him at risk by travelling so much with him. Unfortunately the pandemic is making us take certain decision for the well-being of ourself and family," she said at the post-match press conference.