Mirza leads India into Hopman Cup
Wednesday, 17 October 2007
PERTH, Oct 16(AFP): The popular and glamorous Indian tennis star Sania Mirza will again lead her country's challenge at the Hopman Cup here later this year.
She is to team up with Rohan Bopanna at the unique mixed teams tournament, which starts on December 29 at Burswood Dome.
The pair performed well at the season-opening tournament earlier this year, finishing second in their group after qualifying as winners of the Asian Hopman Cup.
This year, tournament director Paul McNamee was happy to invite the Indian pair rather than forcing them to qualify.
"I was very happy to invite Sania and Rohan back because they did so well to finish second in their group last year and were undefeated in the mixed," McNamee said.
"Sania has still got the biggest forehand going around in women's tennis, that's for sure, and she is just a massive star on the subcontinent who really has a presence on the court.
"She has had a really good year, particularly in the US summer and has beaten (Martina) Hingis, (Tatiana) Golovin, (Dinara) Safina and Patty Schnyder and is really starting to realise her potential."
She is to team up with Rohan Bopanna at the unique mixed teams tournament, which starts on December 29 at Burswood Dome.
The pair performed well at the season-opening tournament earlier this year, finishing second in their group after qualifying as winners of the Asian Hopman Cup.
This year, tournament director Paul McNamee was happy to invite the Indian pair rather than forcing them to qualify.
"I was very happy to invite Sania and Rohan back because they did so well to finish second in their group last year and were undefeated in the mixed," McNamee said.
"Sania has still got the biggest forehand going around in women's tennis, that's for sure, and she is just a massive star on the subcontinent who really has a presence on the court.
"She has had a really good year, particularly in the US summer and has beaten (Martina) Hingis, (Tatiana) Golovin, (Dinara) Safina and Patty Schnyder and is really starting to realise her potential."