Vikrant Shekhawat : Jan 07, 2023, 07:04 PM
New Delhi: Veteran Indian tennis legend Sania Mirza has made up her mind to retire from tennis next month. These days, Sania, who is in discussion about the news of her estrangement from husband Shoaib Malik, has decided to say goodbye to her illustrious career during Dubai Duty Free Tennis next month. Sania, who topped the doubles rankings, has confirmed her retirement from the WTA (Women's Tennis Association). Sania had made up her mind to retire from the game at the end of last season but due to an elbow injury, she was ruled out of the US Open in August 2022 and remained away from the game for the whole season. The 36-year-old Sania, who is married to Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik, has been living in Dubai for over a decade and would like to bid adieu to the game on her 'home turf'. The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is a WTA 1000 level tournament. It will start from 19 February.Sania told 'wtatennis.com', 'I was about to say goodbye to the game after the WTA Finals (last season) because our place in the doubles section of the WTA Finals was confirmed. I injured my elbow just before the US Open, so I had to withdraw from every tournament after that. She said, “To be honest, I like to live on my own terms. That's why I didn't want to be out due to injury. I continued practicing for my comeback,' Sania has won three Grand Slams each in women's doubles and mixed doubles.She has agreed to compete at this month's Australian Open alongside Kazakhstan's Anna Danilina, nursing a calf injury, but hopes the injury will not hinder her retirement plans. He said, 'His attempt is to say goodbye to the game in Dubai during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship.'