NEW DELHI: India's tennis ace Sania Mirza signed off her career with six Grand Slam titles after failing to win the Australian Open mixed doubles trophy with compatriot Rohan Bopanna at the Rod Laver Arna in Melbourne on Friday.
Bopanna and Sania lost 6-7(2) 2-6 to Brazilian pair of Luisa Stefani and Rafael Mataos in the title clash.
Coming into her final Major tournament, Sania had six Grand Slam titles - three women's doubles and as many mixed doubles - in her cabinet. The 42-year-old Bopanna has one French Open mixed doubles title to his credit.
Sania was in tears in the post-match presentation ceremony.
AP Photo
"Rohan was my first-ever mixed-doubles partner at (aged) 14 and we won the nationals," said Mirza, a six-time Grand Slam champion, three in doubles and three in mixed.
"It was a long time ago, 22 years ago, and I couldn't think of a better person -- he's one of my best friends and best partners -- to finish my career here and to play the final.
1/10:Sania Mirza's Grand Slam titles
Getty Images
2/10:Sania Mirza
<p>Sania Mirza ended her career with six Grand Slam titles after failing to win the Australian Open mixed doubles trophy with Rohan Bopanna. </p>Getty Images
3/10:Sania and Bopanna
<p>Sania and Bopanna lost 6-7(2), 2-6 to Brazilian pair of Luisa Stefani and Rafael Mataos in the final at Rod Laver Arena. </p>AFP
4/10:Six Grand Slam titles
<p>Coming into her final Major tournament, Sania had three women's doubles and as many mixed doubles trophies in her cabinet. </p>AFP
5/10:Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi
<p>Out of Sania's six Grand Slams title, three are mixed doubles trophies two of which she won with Mahesh Bhupathi. </p>Getty Images
6/10:Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis
<p>Sania's all three women's doubles titles came with Swiss great Martina Hingis. </p>Getty Images
7/10:2009 Australian Open
<p>In 2009, Sania picked up her first Australian Open mixed doubles Grand Slam title. </p>TNN
8/10:Victory Down Under
<p>Partnering with Mahesh Bhupathi, Sania beat Nathalie Dechy and Andy Ram in the final.</p>Getty Images
9/10:2012 French Open
<p>Sania and Bhupathi won the 2012 French Open mixed doubles crown.</p>Getty Images
10/10:Roland Garros
<p>Sania and Bhupathi defeated Santiago González of Mexico and Klaudia Jans-Ignacik of Poland.</p>Getty Images"There's no better place for me, or person for me, to finish my Grand Slam career."
AP Photo
Sania, who is married to former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, has a young son Izhaan and said it was incredible to play in front of him in a major final.
"I never thought that I would be able to play in front of my child in a Grand Slam final, so it's truly special to have my four-year-old and my parents here," she said.
Sania was the first Indian to win a WTA singles title, in 2005 at her hometown Hyderabad. She reached the fourth round of the US Open the same year and by 2007 was among the women's top 30. But a wrist injury caused her to concentrate on doubles, forging a partnership with Swiss great Martina Hingis which produced three Grand Slam titles.
(With inputs from agencies)
