Eighth for Sania, it’s high five for India
INCHEON: The Indian mixed doubles tennis team of Sania Mirza and Saketh Myneni won the Asian Games gold on Monday defeating topseeded Chinese Taipei duo of Hsien Yin Peng and Hao Ching Chan at the Yeorumul Tennis Courts here.
Sania Mirza feels the five medals that the team has managed to grab at the ongoing Asian Games is a pretty good performance given that the country did not come with the best unit possible for the event.
“It has been a pretty good week. We (she and Prarthana Thombare) got a medal (bronze) in women’s doubles which is huge because it’s something that we never did. I had to be the leader. It’s a young team we came here with, didn’t come with the best team possible, especially with the guys. Five medals is pretty good,” she said. LEADERSHIP ROLE Sania spoke to reporters as the matches were held up due to continuous rains in Incheon since Sunday night.
The 27-year-old Indian tennis star, who was initially inclined to skip the Games to gain doubles points on the WTA tour before changing her mind, said the reason was to provide the country with its best shot at winning more medals in these Games, her fourth on the trot. In the final, Sania and Saketh won 6-4, 6-3 in 45 minutes.
“The minute I made the decision to come here, I knew it was the right decision,” she said. “For me the most important thing was to give India the best chance of winning as many medals as possible. I did what I could and I got two in the two events I played (women’s doubles and mixed doubles).
“I am happy that there was my contribution... For me to get eight medals in the last four editions is pretty good.”