Sania Mirza's Grand Slams career concluded with six titles after she and Rohan Bopanna were unable to lift the Australian Open mixed doubles title on Friday.
The unseeded pair lost to the Brazilian team of Luisa Stefani and Rafael Mataos with a score of 6-7(2) 2-6 in the final at Rod Laver Arena. Prior to this final Major tournament, Sania had already won three women's doubles and three mixed doubles titles. Bopanna, who is 42, has one French Open mixed doubles title to his name.
"Disclaimer, if I cry it is happy tears, not sad tears. I don’t want to take away the moment from Matos-Stefani who have deserved this. I’m still going to play a few more tournaments, but the journey of my professional career started in Melbourne in 2005, when I played Serena Williams in the third round as an 18-year-old,” said Sania after the game.
She went on to say that she never thought that she would play a Grand Slam final in front of her child and parents.
“I’ve had the privilege to come back here again and again, win some tournaments here and play some great finals. Rod Laver Arena has really been special in my life. I couldn’t think of a better arena to finish my career. I never thought I would be able to play in front of my child in a Grand Slam final, so it’s truly special for me to have my 4-year-old here, my parents here," she added.
With all said and done, Mirza will go down as one of the greatest ever to play the game.
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