Have had the perfect build-up for Roland Garros: Sania

Sania Mirza believes that she has had the perfect build-up for next week’s French Open, having won the Italian Open doubles title last week with Swiss great Martina Hingis, but insists that she is taking it one step at a time.

In an exclusive interview with The Hindu on Thursday, the 29-year-old Sania stressed that she didn’t want to exert too much pressure on herself by thinking of winning the other three Grand Slam titles this year after starting it with the Australian Open crown in January.

“Once you enter any Grand Slam event, there is always that special feeling and the urge to win the title though it is not always that you end up a winner. But I must say the confidence level is on a high having entered for the first time in my career three clay-court-event finals,” a visibly tired Sania said on her arrival here.

“It is pretty obvious that clay has never been my favourite surface, but at the same time I am in the mood to give off my best and treat the French Open as any other Grand Slam event while giving due importance to it,” she said.

“We have already won five titles together and the fact that we are the No. 1 even after one year is a pretty good achievement and we are proud of it,” Sania said of her partnership with Hingis. “The chemistry remains the same — both on and off the court.”

What keeps her going, having had so much success? “The drive to be the best in the business. For years, the struggle has been to reach the top and having scaled the pinnacle, there is that intense desire to stay at the top. I just hate to be No. 2,” she said.

“I just keep enjoying my game and there is that unbridled passion for it even now. Nothing gives more pleasure than being on the tennis court, no matter whether you are training or competing with and against the best. The urge is to keep improving every time,” she said.

Sania said she was excited to play in her third Olympics later this year. “Obviously winning an Olympic medal will be the next big dream though I don’t want to engage myself in any debate on who will be or who should be my partner,” she said.

“Even now I believe that I have the ability to achieve more and am never satisfied with what I have achieved so far. This is what keeps me going. But, be sure, the day when I ponder calling it quits being satisfied with my achievements is still far, far away,” she said.

Reflecting on her book Ace Against Odds to be released after Wimbledon this June, Sania said she hopes it becomes a sort of a guide for young talent to dream big and more importantly put in the effort. “It is a sincere attempt to let the world know about the kind of struggle the Mirzas have gone through to reach this stage,” she said.