Sania Mirza flags structural gaps in Indian Women’s tennis at Australian Open

Guwahati, Jan 17: With the Australian Open getting under way on Sunday, Indian tennis finds itself at a familiar yet uncomfortable juncture.

For the first time in several years, the season-opening Grand Slam will be staged without an active Indian Major champion in the draw, following the retirement of doubles veteran Rohan Bopanna.

India will also be without representation in singles for a fourth consecutive Grand Slam, placing the spotlight on doubles specialist Yuki Bhambri, currently ranked world No. 21 in doubles, as the country’s lone prominent presence in Melbourne.

Against this backdrop, India’s most successful women’s tennis player Sania Mirza offered a frank assessment of the state of Indian women’s tennis during a virtual media interaction organised by Sony Sports Network, in which The Assam Tribune participated.

Mirza, a six-time Grand Slam champion and former world No. 1 in doubles, admitted that Indian women’s tennis has struggled to maintain momentum after her generation.

“The reality is that there has been a void in Indian women’s tennis,” she said. “We hoped that after my rise, we would see a line of young girls coming through, but unfortunately that did not happen.”

She attributed the stagnation to a combination of injuries, financial challenges and systemic shortcomings that have hindered promising careers. While Mirza acknowledged the potential of young players like Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi and Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, she stressed that meaningful progress would require time and sustained support.

“We are trying to create a system within the limitations we have, to help these players reach the next level. It is not easy, but the effort is there,” she said.

On India’s prolonged absence from singles main draws at Grand Slams, Mirza said the decline has been gradual rather than abrupt.

“This has been coming for a while,” she noted. “Over the last few years, we did have Sumit Nagal in singles, but injuries set him back and things became very difficult.”

She underlined that elite-level success demands long-term planning and robust infrastructure. “You cannot manufacture champions overnight. It takes generational hard work and strong systems to consistently compete at the highest level, especially in singles,” Mirza said.

Despite present-day challenges, the Australian Open remains deeply personal for Mirza, with several career-defining moments etched on Melbourne’s hard courts.

“If I had to pick one moment, it would be playing Serena Williams at the 2005 Australian Open,” she recalled. “Walking onto what was then Vodafone Arena as an 18-year-old was where everything began for me. That feeling still gives me goosebumps.”

Looking ahead to this year’s women’s singles draw, Mirza tipped Aryna Sabalenka as the leading favourite, citing her consistency and dominance on hard courts. She also named Iga Swiatek and Elina Svitolina as strong contenders.

On the men’s side, Mirza suggested that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner could emerge as finalists, while admitting she would love to see Novak Djokovic reach yet another Melbourne final.

Reflecting on life beyond competitive tennis, Mirza said watching a Grand Slam from the other side brings a new perspective.

“As a player, you live with constant pressure and focus. From this side, it is easier,” she said. “Having been there makes you less quick to judge. You understand that there could be pain, injury or struggle behind a bad day on court.”