Sania Mirza announces retirement: 'This will be my last season'

Sania Mirza, India's most successful female tennis player, announced that 2022 would be her final season after her first-round loss in women's doubles at the Australian Open on Wednesday.

Sania made the announcement after she and her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok had an opening-round loss in the women's doubles event at the Australian Open on Wednesday. Mirza and Kichenok seeded 12th, went down to Kaja Juvan and Tamara Zidansek 4-6, 6-7 (5) in one hour and 37 minutes. She is set to play mixed doubles with Rajeev Ram next.

"I have decided this will be my last season. I am taking it week by week, not sure if I can last the season, but I want to," Mirza said, as reported by India Today.

The 35-year-old is a former world No. 1 in doubles and had a career-best ranking of 27 in singles.

She is currently ranked 68th in the world. In her successful career, she was the first Indian woman to win a Grand Slam, has won Majors in doubles along with medals at Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.

Sania did not play on the Women's Tennis Association tour for few years due to her maternity break in 2018 before making a comeback in 2020. Her last title came in September 2021, when she won her 43rd doubles trophy at the Ostrava Open with Shuai Zhang.