Sania Mirza ranking crisis

By abhishek at 6 February, 2008, 6:58 am

She is the World no 29 in the ATP rankings of the International Tennis Circuit. Sania Mirza performed reasonably well in the recently concluded Australian Open Championship before bowing out to the former champion Venus Williams in an evenly contested duel. But back home she is bowing out to rivals of a different kind. No, not to any budding player but the controversies that are hounding her whenever she dons that tennis racket in her hand on the Indian courts. Yes, the 21 year old is under tremendous pressure, not only for better performance but for the string of controversies she gets in to with every little act of hers whether on court or outside.

Thus, the ubiquitous face Indian Women�s tennis has decided not to play in India. She has opted out of the Bangalore Open citing fears of controversies as reason for not to play. I must say that it was intelligent of her to have it all covered with nagging Knee ligament problem that she was carrying in the Australian Open. Sania says, �It is unfair that I am just 21 and am subject to such minute scrutiny both by the public and media.� The list of controversies pertaining to Sania Mirza keeps on growing at par with her ATP rankings. First it was fatwa issued by an Islamic scholar on her professional dress, and then came the ad shoot in the Mecca Masjid and finally the latest controversy of disrespecting the National flag in a match at Perth in Australia. The controversies have affected her so much that it almost led her to quitting the game. Though she is out of that self doubt session and is presently focusing on winning her first Grand slam title.

It seems that the veterans of Indian Tennis are not much amused either by the Tennis Star. Former Davis Cup captain, Naresh Kumar, feels that a talent like Sania is rare and that she should not have taken such a step. He says, �All stars have problems. You have to learn how to tackle them. If she was bothered about the controversies, and then by choosing to skip playing in India (she) has created another controversy.� Leander Paes expressed his dissatisfaction too by saying, �No athlete is bigger than the game or the country.� But her colleagues in Mahesh Bhupathi and Bopanna are quite supportive of her decision and have spoken in her support.

Well, as a lover of sports I feel somehow, that Indian sport watching public deserves this treatment. There is definite decline in the tolerance level of the people who follow sport in India. The soaring expectations to win in every situation also do not help the players. But apart from expectations, Sania has other controversies to take care from fatwas to insult to National Flags. I think things are being taken too far for the most successful player of Indian women�s tennis. All the players need the support of their country men to perform well at the international arena. If we as a country fail to provide that, every sportsperson is entitled to stay away from performing in the country. After all, a little tolerance and patience is all that Sania expects from her countrymen.

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Categories : Sports