18-year-old tennis terror Sania Mirza just beat her second-round U.S. Open opponent, Italian Maria Elena Camerin, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 (thanks, Sania Fan). Her next draw is 21-year-old Marion Bartoli of France (via desiFans). Mirza won her first round against Mashona Washington of Houston.
The 18-year-old from Hyderabad defeated Italy’s Elena Camerin 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 in a roller-coaster of a match and with France’s Marion Bartoli to follow, she will harbour genuine hopes of reaching the last 16 and a likely encounter with top seed Maria Sharapova.
But she will need to fully recover physically from what was a punishing second round tie if is she is to better her breakthrough third round performance at this year’s Australian Open where she eventually lost to Serena Williams. [Link]
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p>Now ranked 42nd in the world, Mirza is the first Indian woman to win a match at the U.S. Open. She’s got lots of power, but in her last two matches committed plenty of worrisome unforced errors.
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p>The doubles events have produced some interesting desi pairings:
Injuries notwithstanding, Sania Mirza has opted to play in the women’s doubles, partnering Australia’s Bryanne Stewart, at the US Open… Sania has a strained abdominal muscle and is also troubled by bleeding toes…
In the mixed doubles, Leander Paes joins hands with Martina Navratilova, in what could be the 48-year-old legend’s last US Open. Paes and Martina [are] seeded seventh… Mahesh Bhupathi will pair up with Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova…Paes and Bhupathi are playing with their regular partners Nenad Zemonjic of Serbia and Montenegro and Martin Damm of the Czech Republic respectively in the men’s doubles. [Link]
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p>Update: USA Today zeroes in on Mirza’s religion:
Mirza is a devout Muslim from a conservative Islamic family who tries to pray five times a day. Her aggressive game is not only breaking down stereotypes, but also putting tennis on the map in a part of the world where cricket is king. “Fifty years ago, people in India didn’t believe that a woman could play a professional sport,” says the affable Mirza…If there is tension between being a pro athlete and coming from a conservative Muslim upbringing that calls for women to bare little skin and adopt low-profile lives, Mirza is not fazed. “Not everyone is perfect and just because I wear a miniskirt… doesn’t make me a bad Muslim…” [Link]
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p>The ToI reporter is unforgivably cynical about sporting browns, but it’s a refreshing change:
“She’s not an Indian as far as the mind goes,” says Times of India reporter Prajwal Hegde, who came to New York to cover Mirza’s every move for India’s largest daily paper. “She’s bold and brazen and that comes out in her game.” [Link]
Bartoli should not be a problem for Sania. She will probably meet Sharapova in the 4rth round. I am sorry but I am going to support Sharapova in that match up. Sharapova is way cuter!
I used to work at IBM, and with them I worked at the Championships, Wimbledon, so I was there every day and could really get a sense of the atmosphere. It was great to watch Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes winning just about everything in sight and for the first time I saw Indians playing the dhols and dancing around in Wimbledon. Then the Indian-ness showed through, they quarelled and split up. I can’t say I know all the details. But right there was something I’d been dreaming of for years, an Indian team that were genuinely the best in the world. They won 3 out of 4 grand slams in ’99 (I think) and a few before. They looked like the natural successors to the greatest ever partnership, the Woodies from Down Under.
Does anyone know why they split up? Not hearsay, I’ve heard all sorts of stories.
Since then, they’ve both won the odd title with different partners – and they remain two of the best double players in the world, but dammit I’m sure they’d do better back together – they were superb. I was also there to see Paes win with Navaratilova, a pairing that happened quite by chance. I’m glad they’re back together, they seemed very good friends on a Martina tribute TV show.
As for Sania. Seems like she needs to toughen up a bit. Both her matches so far should have been over sooner than they were. Cramp’s also plaguing her.
Bounce Sania, BOUNCE!
Come on, Al-Mujahid, Sania is damn cute.
See this pic.
Come on, Al-Mujahid, Sania is damn cute.
See this pic.
i think AM is looking at the total package (ie; below the head too).
Unattractive people should never be encouraged to succeed at anything. In fact, vijay singh is just too dark, and too ugly to be playing golf. And who cares if lance armstrong has battled cancer, he’s got too many wrinkles — someone should have seriously kicked his ass during the Tour de France. And as for MIA, well, I think Jessica Simpson is better looking, so i hope that darky’s fifteen minutes of fame are soon over.
But hey, it’s just a matter of preference, right?
It was over a woman/women.
On a related note, Bhupati is arrogant, he thinks his tutti doesn’t badboo.
Arrogant eh? Leander Paes seems like a nice enough chap, but I used to like Mahesh more because of his bonkers serve.
I’m not surprised if either are arrogant though, they have a right to be. I won’t be surprised if little Sania becomes a diva. She has more right to than any Bollywood moo. If you’re a big fish in a small pond (i.e. any decent Indian sportsperson) you’re likely to get arrogant. Human nature.
So it was a WOMAN! Can’t live with them, can’t live with them.
while we’re at it…,
O! Boy. Can you be a little less serious.
AMFD, Shame on you for not supporting the dark, the wrinkled and the ugly … no I mean the attractively challenged. I could not think of anything more creative !
Sharapove is more than just good looking. She is also a very good tennis player. I would not support Kournikova over Sania.
Sania is cute too, but Sharapova is cuter and a much better tennis player.
i think AM is looking at the total package (ie; below the head too). Exactly!
I catch while we’re at it‘s point: to state the obvious, it bites that everytime a woman is mentioned, her appearance must be a subject of discussion in the comments.
When they(Paes/Bhupathi) split, the rumour was that Bhupathi’s coach/trainer wasn’t getting along with Paes and so they decided to call it off – I recall reading this a while back.
Besides Paes was going out with Mahima Chaudhry and Bhupathi was already seeing someone else – unless they were squabbling over who gets to play with Navratilova.
Btw, has anyone noticed Sania’s left hand in any of the pictures(including the one in this post) – looks like she is doing some funky dance move. (BB, did you have anything to do with this – you being a breaker and all?)
Go Sania, it’s your birthday, Go Sania, it’s your birthday. We gon’ grand slam like it’s yo birthday We gon’ whack balls like it’s yo birthday ‘Cause you know we don’t give a f*ck It’s not your birthday!
With all due apologies to my American brutha 50 Cent.
or interest?
Ugh, I hate this assumption that “true Indian women” are timid and shy.
Go Sania!
i was reffering, of course, to the ToI comment.
Firstly, at the risk of beating this thing to death, Sania is terribly cute. MS, I too noticed that left hand “break move” and was wondering about it. And I agree with Maisnon’s comment on “while we are at it”…women do tend to get the bum’s rush when their athletic performance is being evaluated. I remember McEnroe being very disparaging about Kournikova once (this was reverse disparagement along the lines of “she looks good but can’t win a major tournament”, conveniently ignoring the millions of women who neither look remotely attractive nor would know what to do with a tennis racket if their life depended on it).
Mathematiker, I think maisnon was referring to the people on here discussing women’s looks. But I have a slightly different view. Women, you may get annoyed when we objectify you and treat you as sex objects. But don’t ask us to change our ways, join in the fun. I would like nothing better than to be objectified and to be treated like a sex object by women at large (not large women, mind you). So pass judgement on the boys’ looks too maisnon!
I was discussing something else with the girlfriend yesterday. Sania’s boobs. She needs to invest in a better sports bra. But then she might be less fun to watch.
ms:
Yes. Yes I had everything to do with it. She consulted me personally and said “You got game, how do I win a game?” I sat her on my lap and said “Sania, bust the electric slide and do some funky shit with your left hand and you’ll be world number 42 in no time. And they’ll all be talking about you on Sepia Mutiny.” Sania looked puzzled, “Sepia Mutiny? Whatchoo talking about Willis?” I responded “Ah just some place where the girls REFUSE to objectify men.” Sania lost interest at that point.
She walked off before I could tell her to get rid of the black woollen socks.
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Look here, pal. I resent that. I objectify the hell out of Punjabi Boy 🙂
I just want to say to all the other girls, and if you are inclined that way, boys, of sepia mutiny: please feel free to objectify me in a lustful way as much as you like – I will carry that burden.
Dont be shy.
Sania was also the Player of the Day yesterday. There is also a post match interview here.
Some more info ….
WHO IS SANIA MIRZA?
Coaches: Father, Imran, and John Farrington
Sibling: Sister, Anam
Favorite colors: Red and black
Hollywood Favorites: Movie “Ocean’s 11” and actors Brad Pitt and Hugh Grant
Music: Hip hop, including artist Eminem
Other Sports: Plays cricket and swims
Role Model: Gandhi and Steffi Graf
Sania is the player of the day!!! Niice
http://www.usopen.org/en_US/bios/index.html
sorry. Somebody already post that ha?
I agree, but I’d argue that coverage of a woman’s performance in anything – career, politics, sports – usually involves some element of discussing her appearance.
And there’s the irony, isn’t it? You’d love to be objectified … and I can’t be bothered with it. I’d rather not see women objectified at every turn, and you see that as me asking you to “change your ways.”
Good catch. That is the famous, watch me serve this agni-bomb-of-a-serve-at-your-ass mudra.
Pls guys ……. don’t give any ulta pulta commnets on sania … she is playing g88 tennis …. i am very sure sania will win in 4th round.