For Sania Mirza, by all means it was a trip down memory lane when the synthetic court designed to meet the needs of kids in the age group of three to four years was formally inaugurated adjacent to her residence at Jubilee Hills here on Monday.
The World No. 1 in women’s doubles tennis used to train hard when she was in the under-10 category at her ‘home court’ in Panjagutta under the guidance of her father Imran Mirza. “We know what kind of a struggle it is for the kids when they start playing tennis, or for that matter any sport. So, this is one step forward to giving a new direction to tennis itself,” said Sania.
“This is the idea of my mom (Nasima Mirza) and aunty Noshin. And it is essentially not to teach the kids in this age group about forehand or backhand. But just to give them the feel of the racket, have fun and develop fascination for the sport,” Sania remarked. “And, this is the age group in which all the famous tennis stars have started playing the sport. I wish this will provide a huge opportunity for the kids to keep loving the game on this court,” the six-time Grand Slam winner pointed out.
The coloured, soft balls should be a major attraction for the kids at the new centre of Sania. “The best part is that it is not far away and in the heart of the city and should encourage many kids too,” she observed.
“Obviously, the proximity to my home could well be the biggest USP of this court. I will be there watching them play and interacting too, to share my experiences with them. All as part of the mission of the Mirzas to unearth another Mahesh, Leander or even Sania,” she said with a big smile.
“There are no restrictions in terms of number of kids to train at the venue. We will sort out a training programme depending on the demand and for sure we will not stop anyone from having a feel on the court,” said a smiling Sania.
Yadav Reddy, MLC, and A. Dinakar Babu, V-C & MD of SATS, who were the guests of honour felt this venture was another big step of Sania in promoting the sport and also doing her part as brand ambassador of Telangana.
